A girl named Hermione Granger : Year one
by blu-babe
Summary: Very slight AU of books. Hermione looked up at the window during dinner and shouted excitedly, "Mum, I see an owl!" - Chapter One has been revised, please re-read and read the new authors note at the very bottom, thank you! Rated for mild language
1. The Child

A Girl Named Hermione Granger : Year one

Chapter one: The child

Disclaimer: I own some cool things, but not the Harry Potter plot, or characters.

Please note that this story follows the general plot of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and in a few small places, dialouge is taken from the book, because I wanted to keep it close to the original plot line. Thank you.

Summary: Jane and David Granger had no idea what they were getting into, when they helped the sick woman they found on the street. They didn't know they'd come out of the encounter with a beautiful little girl with dark eyes, and mysterious talents. They didn't know they'd be thrown in the way of the magical side of London, sharing tea with men in robes. But more than that, little Hermione Jean Kathrine Granger didn't know that come her eleventh birthday, she'd be in a school far away from home, with an over protective father and a dark secret that had to remain hidden.

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><p>It was, perhaps, not the strangest thing for Dumbledore to call Severus Snape into his office in the middle of the night, out of the school year. This, however, was the school year. This was September; and he had homework to grade for the morning. "Headmaster, what is so urgent you've called me here?" His voice was waspish and raspy, as he had not had much sleep. Indeed, Severus Snape had only just arrived to fall in bed, after a secret mission for the order, when he had been summoned via the floo network.<p>

Dumbledore, old and tired looking, was standing in front of Fawkes' perch, watching the ashes of his old bird quiver as he was reborn. "I ask that you trust me on this Severus." He said mysteriously, not turning to face the still newly instated potions master. Snape, young and still so full of anger and grief, couldn't quite grasp what was meant.

Dumbledore spun on his heel, pinning the young ex-death eater with a stern look. "Your wife is dead." Snape, at this, scoffed and crossed his arms. "I am _well_ _aware_ she is dead." He held very little love or respect for his late wife, it had been an arranged death eater marriage. Voldemort had insisted he marry the evil wretch, to breed more future death eaters. "Yes, I suppose you ought to be. However, something I'm sure you did not know, the baby lives."

The news washed over Severus like ice water. He most certainly had not known that their child, his only heir, had survived. Kathrine had been dead a year now, for the child to have been born, it would have been nearly three months premature. How in the world could a child survive that? "Are you sure?" He barely dared to hope until Dumbledore inclined his head to him, and smiled.

The headmaster watched, toying idly with his long silver beard, as the man before him took in the news. "Where is the baby?" It felt odd, to Severus, to continue saying 'the baby', but he had never known the gender. His late wife had thought it would be a 'fun' surprise. "I'm afraid I cannot say. We must just wait, and watch in ten year's time, the new first years. It would be very unwise to act now. Let us leave the child be, where it will be safe and happy until it is time for the truth."

Snape left the office, anger flooding him at the thought that, despite his child's survival, he would likely never find them. It would be near impossible, seeing as they didn't even know the gender of his child. He had never particularly wanted a baby with Kathrine, nor had he ever been fond of children, but it seemed a raw deal that his one chance at being a father ought to be snatched away so fast.

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><p>Hermione Jean Katherine Granger was currently running around her backyard, pretending to be flying the kitchen broom, searching for a golf ball she had (in a fit of her usual oddness that her parent's had come to accept) painted yellow and called a 'snitch.'<p>

She was currently ten years old, with bushy, wiry hair that flew around madly as she ran; gliding almost in a way where one couldn't be sure her feet even touched the ground. Her parents, muggle dentists, watched from the kitchen window as their daughter, adopted, though she had never been told, raced around happily, all by herself. "Jane dear, we really ought to tell her. She's old enough to handle it now." David said, his eyes shifting over to his wife. It had long been debated between the two about when they would tell Hermione about her birth mother.

Later that night, as the large family sat down for supper, Hermione sitting slightly apart from her brothers and sister (whom did not really get on with her,) was the first to notice an oddity about the window. "Mum, I see an owl!" She was positively ecstatic as her mother and father turned to the window with a gasp. There was an owl sitting there. Holding a letter. Hermione, seeing that she had not imagined the bird, bolted out of her seat and ran to the window in excitement.

The owl did not spook, as one would have expected it to, it just dropped the envelope into her waiting hands and brushed its soft feather head against her cheek before flying off. Hermione tore into the letter immediately, feeling warm and fuzzy as she thought of the darling owl.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" She voiced out loud, reading the insignia at the top of the page. Her dark as coffee brown eyes flew over to her parents, whom were in as much shock as her siblings appeared to be. "I've been accepted. Can I go to Hogwarts?" She dashed up to her parent's sides and placed the letter on the table between them. "Oh please?" David Granger gave his wife a hesitant look as he scooped their youngest daughter into his arms and left the kitchen. Jane snatched up the letter, seeing that her eldest son, Danny, had been reaching for it, "You four stay put. Your father and I need to discuss something with 'Mione."

When she entered the smallest bedroom at the top of the stairs she found her husband pacing around, and her youngest girl sitting innocently on her bed. "Dear, I don't quite know how to explain this," he started, ending his pacing as he sat down on the bed beside the now confused girl. "I'm adopted and you d-don't l-love m-m-me!" Hermione shrieked, as she saw the strange behavior of her parent's, assuming that what Danny had always said to her was true. "Mione! Don't be silly, we love you very, very much!" Jane whispered soothingly, running her fingers through the young girl's hair. "But, you are...adopted." All through the conversation, as Jane and David Granger explained how they had come across the bizarre woman named Kathrine, and fell in love with the little, premature baby she had given birth to before dying, none noticed the tawny owl and tabby cat sitting in the tree outside.

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><p>Dumbledore sat behind his desk, enthralled as he listened to McGonagall's recounting of the night previous, having found the daughter of Severus Snape. "This calls for a celebration Albus!" She cried out happily, her usually stern face breaking out into a grin. Dumbledore offered her a kind smile, and a wink. "We must ask Severus to be so kind as to escort the girl and her muggle parent's to Diagon Alley this next weekend." He offered up, knowing that she would undoubtedly be eager to fetch the potions master, despite their differences. "I'll bring him here at once!" She was gone in a flurry of robes, and Dumbledore allowed his smile to vanish. He had his doubts about how Severus was going to take this news. Shortly after they had discovered Lily and James had been killed, Snape had withdrawn into his own shell of pity and anger. He had seemed happy enough that his child had survived, but he had also done nothing to fight his decision to leave the child wherever it may be in the muggle world.<p>

The elderly headmaster was broken out of his reverie by two out of breath professors launching themselves into his office. Seeing the way Snape's face was slightly flushed, and his hair slightly wild, obviously from having run up from the dungeons, left him with some hope. "You found h-her?" The potion master's voice was soft, almost disbelieving of his luck. He had many moments in the past ten years where he had thought that perhaps he should never want to find the child, however he did want to at least know it was alive. And imagine the thumping of his heart when McGonagall had burst into his office, declaring Dumbledore had found his daughter.

"Yes, Severus. We are quite sure. Minerva was there to hear the story of how they had decided to adopt her." He didn't drag out the details, knowing it would be far better for Snape to hear them from the muggle couple themselves. Nothing good ever came from passing around second hand information in the wizarding world, as both he and Severus were well aware. The potions master sunk into a wooden chair in front of the head master's desk, his hands flying up to run through his long hair. He couldn't believe, all this time, a daughter. He had a daughter.

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><p>Jane and David Granger were not quite sure they understood the situation in which they found themselves, as they showed two guests into their living room, begging forgiveness of the mess their five year old son had made. Just this morning at breakfast, the tawny owl from last evening (they were certain it was the same one, as it had again nuzzled with Hermione before leaving) had brought them another letter from Hogwarts, requesting they prepare for the arrival of the headmaster and potions master at precisely one o' clock that very afternoon.<p>

Hermione was currently in the back yard, unaware of the guests, being taunted by her elder siblings as she stacked rocks one upon the other in the garden.

Jane stared at the photograph-the strange, moving photograph-in her hands and sighed. There was no doubt. "Mr. Dumbledore-" "Albus, please my dear Jane Granger," the headmaster cut in, a sparkle in his eye, easing the tension slightly. "Albus, yes. This is the woman, Katherine, that gave birth to Hermione." She gestured down to the photograph where two stern young people were sitting stiffly on a park bench, the woman pregnant and trying to place the man's hand on her stomach (to feel the baby, she supposed) however the man in the photo was stubbornly resisting.

David was being quiet, debating with himself if he was going to have to ask the question on his mind, or if it would be answered without him seeming nosy. He was greatly relieved when the strange meeting was interrupted by his little girl, Hermione, bursting into the living room, holding in her hands a strange rock. "Mum! Dad! Look what I made!" She stopped just short of reaching her mother, the rock (shaped like a lily) held out in front of her, dropping to the ground as she noticed the two strange men on the couch. "H-hello." She stuttered, her pretty rock all but forgotten in an instant.

Severus' eyes fell onto the young girl immediately and his heart skipped a beat. She looked remarkably like Katherine. Except that she had his eyes. "Well, this is probably for the best. It will be far easier to just explain things once, don't you agree?" Dumbledore hummed out, motioning for the young brown haired girl to take a seat beside her mother. She stared defiantly at the elderly man, almost as if she longed to tell him he couldn't tell her to sit in her own house, however curiosity shone in her eyes as she spotted the picture in her mothers hands. "Who's that?" She asked innocently, pointing into the picture. "Hermione, that's your mother. That's Kathrine." David explained hastily, picking his daughter up and setting her down beside his wife. "And we're just about to find out whom that is with her."

Dumbledore smiled at the scene in front of him, but he felt Severus stiffen at his side. "The young man in that photo is Hermione's father." The headmaster began, capturing the attention of the young girl. She let her eyes flick down to the picture, taking in all the features of the man in the photo. He was rather dark looking, even though she could see he was smiling ever so slightly. Her eyes snapped up as she heard rushing foot steps, "Oh no...I don't want them in here!" She cried softly, knowing that Danny would only say more hurtful things, and then perhaps even talk Dumbledore out allowing her into his school. Suddenly the joining door between the kitchen and living room slammed shut, and was followed by a loud "OW!"

Jane cast a look at Hermione and sighed, "You really shouldn't do that darling. You'll knock his braces out of place again." The flustered girl let out a huff and the door opened again. Snape couldn't help but be slightly proud at the control his daughter showed over magic. Not many ten-year-olds could slam a door in someone's face from across the room. "I'll take them back outside, David." Jane said sternly, handing the photo to her daughter. She quickly led her four other children back into the back garden, closing the door behind her.

Hermione's eye fell upon the proud shadow of a smirk on Snape's face, and her face dawned in understanding. He was clearly the man in the photo. Older, more stern, and she thought, tired looking. But it was him. "You are a clever one, Hermione." Dumbledore said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to the now blushing girl. "Severus here is the young man in the photo. And he is your father." "I knew it." Jane Granger had come back into the room unnoticed, but she revealed herself when her own suspicion was confirmed. "The moment I saw his eyes, I knew."

Hermione wasn't quite sure what to do with this information. She had decided, upon learning of her adoption, that she wanted to find her father; but here he was, and she didn't know what to do. She had never been a very affectionate child, and did not like hugging so much recently, and her father did not look very affectionate himself, would he expect a hug?

"Yes, I was hoping that you would be able to piece it together. She looks remarkably like Katherine, but she could only have gotten those eyes from Severus." The head master stood up and pulled a small wrapped item out of his cloak pocket, and handed it to Snape, whom appeared confused for a moment. It dawned on him what he had been given as the headmaster began to shake hands with the muggle couple and bid them farewell. "I think it would be a splendid idea for you to spend today talking, and perhaps go and retrieve Hermione's school things in the morning. Severus will accompany you to Diagon Alley."

Hermione remained glued to her seat on the couch as her parent's showed out the silver haired, and slightly odd, man. Snape was seated in an arm chair directly across the coffee table, looking as out of place as he felt. He hadn't thought the headmaster would leave so soon. "You...have your mother's hair." He could have kicked himself as he spoke. Ten years of waiting and that was all he could say? Hermione smiled at the awkwardness and felt a question bubble up before she could squish it back down. "Why did it take you so long to find me?"

Severus flinched at that, "Katherine and I got separated, and I never knew if m-our child was a girl or a boy." He hadn't thought that would be her first question, although she was proving to be every bit as clever and sharp as he was himself. "Oh. Are you disappointed?" Yes, she definitely got her sharp cleverness from him. "No." He wasn't honestly, it would have been awkward to find himself with a son, because he was the godfather of Draco Malfoy, and that one boy was rather a handful. He couldn't imagine if he had to deal with two boys.

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><p>Dinner that evening was tense and uncomfortable, and Snape found himself wondering if he would have been better off turning down the invitation. He wasn't as opposed to muggles as he had used to be, however muggle children were very irritating. It took a great deal of his self control to ignore the rude little remarks that the oldest boy would send Hermione's way. She did not seem to be bothered by them as she asked him everything she could think of about Hogwarts. He answered all her questions, trying not to allow his own prejudices against certain things taint her mind.<p>

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><p>End Chapter one. So, tell me what you think. I want you to know, I waited until I finished this whole story before I decided to post it for you. Remember, there aren't many differences in the plot from the original books, but ninety percent of this is from Hermione's views, in third person omniscient.<p>

New chapter will be posted later today. Some characters are OOC, but it's all good, if you love Hermione, and wish you could have seen the lighter side of Snape and Draco long before book six and seven. (not a lot lighter, mind you.)

_**vvvvvvvv IMPORTANT VVVVVVVVV**_

_**This is very important.**_

I have made a few small changes in the first section of this chapter, wherein Dumbledore and Snape are discussing Hermione's survival. This was necessary to do in order to accomodate a twist I have applied in the upcoming story 'A Girl Named Hermione Granger: Year Three'.


	2. Her First Time Back

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year one

Chapter two: Her first time back

Disclaimer: yatta yatta yatta, refer to first chapter, thank you

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><p>At eight o'clock the next morning Hermione was tagging along behind Snape, weaving in and out of people, heading towards a small, dirty looking pub. As soon as they were inside she felt out of place in her bright green sundress (she had wanted her dad to think she was pretty and well behaved, so she had put on her nicest dress.) Every one was wearing long dark robes, much like her father was. He had assured her before they left that she would be fine in whatever she chose to wear, seeing as she was going to be getting proper robes later on.<p>

She felt people stare at her, and began to feel insecure as she stuck very close to Snape's side. She wanted to reach out and take hold of his hand, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Slowly they exited out the back door and came face to face with a brick wall. "Father?" She whispered curiously as he pulled out his wand (he had shown her last night during dinner, when she had questioned the supplies list) and tapped three bricks up from the lid of a trash can, and two across. As a door way began to magically appear she could hear a burst of excitement from inside the grubby pub. She was curious to see what was going on, but allowed herself to be led away.

"How am I going to buy the school supplies?" She asked hesitantly, watching people count coins, suddenly realizing that it was very unlikely her 'muggle' (as her father had called it) money would be anywhere near enough for everything she needed. He looked down at her and offered a small smirk. "You won't be. I will. When Dumbledore alerted me to your survival, I had created an account in Gringotts for you. I'm afraid we'll have to fill out some boring forms before we can get anywhere exciting." She felt relief flood over her, she'd never heard of Gringotts bank before, but she was glad to find that her father had thought so much for her future when she was a baby, and he hadn't even been sure they'd ever meet up.

She let him lead her into a huge white marble building, and was speechless with awe as they walked up to a tall desk, with a goblin (he had told her a little bit about them, but insisted she would learn more in school) behind it. "Name and business please." The goblin's voice was slightly high pitched, and she could tell it was irritated. "Severus Snape, and Miss Hermione Jean Kathrine Granger. I am here to make an adjustment to my special vault." Hermione wondered if perhaps she should ask to change her name to include Snape in it somewhere, as it seemed odd that no one would know Severus Snape was her father if she didn't.

"Very well. Follow me." The goblin hopped down from the desk and led them towards a private room with a desk. The doors closed behind them just as Hermione caught a glimpse of a giant man with a big bushy beard approaching another goblin with a scrawny boy her age at his side. She kept a close pace to Snape, not eager to be seperated from the only familiar person she was sure she would find. They sat in front of the ornate desk and a piece of parchment was placed in front of them, it looked very much similar to the bank account form she and her mother (though Hermione was unsure if mother was the proper endearment or not) had filled out the previous year at a muggle bank.

Snape took the quill which was being offered to him by the goblin and began to scratch in a great deal of information, pausing only for more ink. She watched her father work meticulously for fifteen minutes, before noticing that he was using a new quill, and a strange one at that. It had no ink, but as he scrawled out his name and signature, it wrote like the previous quill. Severus was quite pleased to be finally filling out this form in full. No doubt his daughter would be given the shock of a life time when she got to see how much he had set aside for her (it had only seemed right she get the whole of her mother's fortune.) He slid the paper in front of her and handed her the strange quill. "Look this over, it's always good to memorize important banking information." He watched as she did just that.

"You'll need to sign it at the bottom there. This quill is special, you don't need ink. Just sign your full name." His voice was soft, and caring, and although she felt something scratchy on her hand as she wrote, she did as he said and signed her name under his. As soon as she was done the parchment vanished with a pop and a key was in its place. "This is the key to your own Hogwarts vault. Keep it safe. If you lose it, my own key will also open the vault for you." She felt like she had possibly just hit the jackpot in the best-father-ever lottery.

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><p>They left the bank with a larger sack of gold than Severus had intended to allow his daughter to withdraw, however she had been fascinated by the coins and, somehow, wrapped him around her little finger already, in a way her mother never could have done. "We shall get you fitted for robes first." He announced, leading her into a shop called Madam Malkin's robes for all occasions. As soon as they were inside Hermione found herself blushing. There was a rather attractive, if a bit peaky, blonde boy staring at her. "Uncle!" The boy called out, sounding as though he wished to run over, but was unable to move.<p>

Snape smiled momentarily and gently led Hermione towards the boy with his hand on her shoulder. "Draco, it's good to see you. Where is your mother today?" The blonde shrugged, earning a sharp look from a witch with several pins in her mouth. "Don't move Mr. Malfoy. I'm almost done." The boy ignored her and continued to stare at Hermione in curiosity. "I think she went to get her hair done. Who's this?"

Snape chuckled and took his hand off of Hermione's shoulder. "You remember how I told you about my late wife?" Hermione felt her mouth twitch into a frown, but she hid it as best she could. She didn't like that this blonde boy, Draco, seemed to know more about her mother than she did. "Oh. So you have a daughter?" A new sales witch came by and tugged Hermione up onto the podium beside Draco's as Snape nodded. "Such a lovely dress my dear. I think green is a lovely colour on you." The witch practically purred with delight at having the fortune to tailor something for a girl. "I much prefer making girl's robes," She said, gathering measurements with several floating tape measures, "I've had to deal with eight boys today. None of them was very interesting. And that last boy was so scrawny."

Snape, seeming content that his daughter would be fine for a moment, stepped in closer to Draco and whispered a request for his godson. "Hermione will be needing a companion who can keep her out of trouble while she is at Hogwarts, and on the train as well. She was adopted by a muggle family, and there was only so much I could mention." He gave the boy a pointed look as he recoiled at the word 'muggle', "I would like you to be nice and friendly with her."

Hermione burst into a sudden fit of giggles as the sales witch was pulling a robe down over her, causing both Snape and Draco to whip their faces in her direction. Assured that his daughter had merely been laughing, Snape turned to look at his godson again and raised his eyebrows at the blush slowly creeping over Draco's cheeks. "I see I've nothing to worry about." He drawled out in amusement, causing his godson to blush even more as he turned his head the other way.

Draco was finished shortly afterwards, and decided to wait for Snape and Hermione, after his godfather had pointed out that they needed to be properly introduced.

Hermione jumped off the podium as she finished, following the sales witch up to the counter, with a large stack of robes and school uniforms. Snape stepped forward to pay for the purchase when he felt a tug on his arm. "Can I do it?" Hermione asked, wide eyed at the thought of a challenge. Inwardly sighing at his apparent softness, Snape handed her the bag and allowed her to count out the coins (three Galleons, twelve Sickles, and ten Knuts.)

As soon as it was all paid for, and the distractions were out of the way, Snape guided her back over to where Draco was waiting, and offered a pointed look to the boy, who immediately stuck out his hand. "I'm Draco Malfoy." His voice was kind of stiff, making Hermione slightly nervous. She, however, took his offered hand and gave it a firm shake, "I'm Hermione Granger." And again she wondered if she ought to change her name. She felt out of place, being the daughter of Severus Snape, and not having his name to identify her as his child anywhere.

All was quickly forgotten as Snape led the two youths down the street to Olivander's wand shop. Draco was smugly answering her curious pestering about exploding snap, after he had 'let slip' how he was a junior champion for it. Severus was quite pleased at how the two were getting on, and found time to slip away and find Narcissa Malfoy at the beauty parlor. He stayed just long enough to inform her that Draco was accompanying himself and his daughter (she nearly squealed at that point) to the different shops and they should meet for lunch.

By the time he returned to Olivander's he found a very frustrated Hermione trying what appeared to be her twenty fifth wand. Apparently she was having trouble finding the right mix. Olivander was not to be deterred however, as Severus knew only too well from his own youth. "Not to worry my dear," a wheezing voice called out from the back shelves of the shop as Snape entered, "I've had many a young witch and wizards who've had to try many more wands than this. Why, I remember my favourite incident. A young Severus Snape. Tried nearly a hundred wands!" The memory made Severus smirk as he saw his daughter's shoulder's slump. "Aha! Vinewood with a dragon heartstring. Yes. Yes, this is the one Miss Granger." The old man came speeding out and thrust the wand into Hermione's hand.

She waved it slowly, holding it out from her body, afraid it might just explode like the previous one had attempted to do, but was pleasantly surprised when it shot out multi-coloured sparks. "Ah yes. I had thought. Hello Severus." Olivander acknowledged the potions master with a slight wave and placed Hermione's accepted wand into a long velvet lined box. "This wand is eight Galleons." Snape brought out the bag of money again, having felt it was probably best not to let two ten-year-olds out of sight with approximately fifty galleons, eighty sickles, and two hundred knuts, and handed it to Hermione who began to withdraw the coins ("No, the big gold ones." Draco mumbled to her as she pulled out a silver sickle.)

Olivander raised an eyebrow at the gesture and then broke out into a knowing smile. "Ah that explains that. Severus, I didn't realize you had a daughter with Kathrine. But yes, that explains it. Only natural for her to have a vinewood wand." And as they left, Olivander's words ringing in her ears, she found herself slightly miffed that everyone knew more about her mother than she did. And her father too, she supposed, but there would be time to learn him inside and out the way she knew her muggle parents.

Snape led the youngsters into an apothecary next, ensuring that they both had more than adequate supplies of the potions ingredients they would need, however he did have a hard time prying his enthusiastic daughter away from some gaudy cauldrons, informing her that daughter or not, he wouldn't allow her to use them in class. She was pouting slightly when they left, so he casually pointed out that perhaps she ought to go to Flourish and Blotts with Draco and get their school books picked out, and he would meet them there in ten minutes. As soon as the two were in the book store, he made his way quickly to the owl emporium. He had fully intended to allow her to pick out her own owl (it was unthinkable for him to even consider that she might not get an owl. How on earth was he to contact her when she was with the muggles if she had no owl?) but had decided after the cauldron incident that it would be unwise. Little girls tended to be drawn in by pretty instead of practical. And by Merlin she was going to have a well trained owl.

When he entered Flourish and Blotts he had not expected to find the disaster that he did. Hermione had all eight textbooks tucked carefully under one arm, and was trying to balance another ten books with her other arm. Apparently his daughter was a little obsessed with books. So that's where Kathrine's personality quirks had been hiding in their daughter.

"Hermione, what are these for?" He raised his eyebrow, after throwing an exasperated look at Draco for not restraining the girl. "These books are amazing! There's so much to learn! Oh please father!" She begged, trying to give him the same innocent look she had used in Gringotts. Severus felt his eye twitch as he set down the owl's cage and began to look through the extra books she had picked up. He certainly had not expected to find books on more advanced potions and history, but he was pleased that she at least had the sense not to beg for frivolous books on beauty. "Alright." He said, setting the whole stack on the counter, a copy of _Hogwarts: a history _on the very top of the pile. He paid for the books himself this time, and then instructed Draco, who complained about unfairness, to assist her in carrying the books to the cafe they were going to get lunch at with his mother.

Narcissa Malfoy almost did not see the children tagging along side Snape as he approached their meeting place. One could almost have thought that he had charmed two stacks of books so they had legs. However when the books were placed on the ground she was reassured that her son had indeed been spending time with his godfather. Narcissa noted how Draco's platinum blond hair was ruffled and his cheeks had the smallest pink stain as she saw the pretty brown haired girl smile at her son. Her eyes immediately snapped to the girl in her pretty green sundress, and she cooed. "Oh how darling! You look very much like Kathrine! Ah, but you have Severus' eyes. Such a pity. You'd have looked better with blue eyes."

Hermione got the feeling she wasn't going to be entirely fond of this strange woman in the future. "I like my eyes the way they are." She stated bluntly, a tiny, rebellious smile weaving its way onto her lips. She caught a look of amusement on her father's face as Narcissa faltered, before introducing herself to Hermione (the brown haired girl noticed that it took a very long time to get around to introductions in the wizarding world. How odd she thought it to be.) "I'm Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. Severus and I have been friends since we attended school together."

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><p>It was getting rather late when Snape realized he needed to get Hermione back home, "Narcissa, Draco, I am afraid it is time I get Hermione home." He had left out certain details about the family whom had raised his daughter to Narcissa, and hoped she would not pry too much in the future. "It is late, and I must be getting back to Hogwarts. I have lesson plans to prepare."<p>

Hermione was glad for an excuse to stand up from the table and stretch, she had followed her father's example and not mentioned very much about her muggle parents, although she was very, very curious as to why. "It was just lovely meeting you darling," Narcissa gushed, fussing over Hermione as she gathered her books, which would now have to be carried by her alone. "Severus you must bring your daughter to our party on August thirty-first. I am sure everyone would love to meet her at last!" Hermione, though not thrilled at the idea of spending time with the odd woman, was surprised when Snape automatically snapped out a quick "No."

"She will need the time to say good bye." He smoothly covered when he realized that he had snapped. "Jane and David have been kind enough to raise her well, and I think it would be courteous to allow them the last few days before term." He truthfully wanted to keep Hermione as far out of their circle as he could, for as long as possible. He knew she was eager to prove herself to him at the moment, and he did not want her to end up mixed up with any future death eaters. Especially since she did not yet know anything about them.

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><p>Hermione was busy tucking everything into her trunk, trying to fit all of her books, as well as all her clothes. She didn't really want to leave very much behind, because she was hoping that maybe at the end of the year, she could go and live with her father. She had sent her owl, a beautiful tawny barn owl with icy clear eyes, to him asking if there may be a chance of it. She had really enjoyed her day out with him in Diagon Alley last weekend. She had been so ecstatic this week that even Danny's constant taunting hadn't bothered her. Although she had gotten grounded last Monday for accidentally tying his shoes together as he tried to walk down the stairs. She felt it was justified (not that she'd <em>meant <em>to do it of course) seeing as he had insulted her father. She couldn't stand hearing Danny call her wizard father a 'slimy git'.

There was a soft tap at her window and she broke into a grin as she let Archie into her room and collected the response from her father. She read the words quickly and frowned.

_I don't think that will be possible this year Hermione. You're better to return to the muggles for summer holidays._

What kind of father didn't want his own daughter? She fought angry tears as she dumped out her trunk and repacked only her school things. She repacked a few of the things she had bought when she had gone out with Julie, (whom was older than Danny, and no longer living at home,) for a spa day after her grounding was up on Thursday. Julie was the only sister she got along with, and Hermione supposed it was because of their age gap. Julie was twenty five now, and was well past the boy fanatic stage that Sarah (three years older than Hermione was) was stuck in.

Tucked into her trunk, next to her pair of fancy school shoes (ten Galleons) was a pair each of flats, sneakers and converse high tops. And all the pairs of socks she had packed were various rainbow colours, with random designs on them. Not to mention the pretty underwear Julie had helped her find. But she felt like this little bit of rebellion (coloured socks and underwear) would not make her feel any better now. She knew she would get to see her father plenty in classes, but it wasn't like she could just sit and ask him questions about everything and nothing during class. He had told her she couldn't call him father at school, she couldn't change her name to include his, she couldn't spend summer vacation with him, and she couldn't go around telling everyone he was her father.

Hermione slammed her trunk shut, and threw herself down on her bed in anger. Archie, sensing her distress, flew over and settled himself on her lap. She stroked his soft, feathered head and tried not to cry. "What's the point in having a father I can't talk to?" She mumbled bitterly.

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><p>Thanks for the review! And the alerts and fav. I may even get another chapter posted today, if I have time.<p>

Alright, next chapter, Hogwarts!


	3. Hogwarts

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year one

Chapter 3: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Disclaimer: you know I don't.

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><p>The Hogwarts express was breath taking. She had been met at the entrance of the train station by three people after her muggle parents had left. She had recognized the boy her age as Draco, and she had recognized his mother as well. So she assumed that the tall blond man was Draco's father. They had offered her a curt greeting and shuffled her and Draco along to platform 9 34 without delay. Hermione had, in a rather normal way for her, left them standing on the platform as Narcissa wailed about her baby boy being all grown up, and found herself an empty compartment. No sooner had she shut the door than it was opened again. She spun around to shoo off whomever had thought to invade her privacy, and was met by the sparkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah yes, Miss Granger. I was hoping to find you before the train left the station." His voice was chipper, much more chipper than she felt currently, "Hello Professor Dumbledore." She mumbled, taking a seat by the window. "Now, why the long face? You ought to be very happy today." He took a seat across from her, "I'm happy." She said quickly, forcing a smile, "I just didn't sleep very much. I was too...excited." She tried to sound as convincing as possible, but somehow felt that there was no way Dumbledore was buying it. "If you are unhappy, you may be unhappy, Miss Granger. It is not a crime. I just wanted to speak to you before you met any of your fellow classmates."

'_And here it is_.' She thought bitterly, "I already know the rules. Professor," she spat the word like it was foul tasting, "Snape already told me." Dumbledore chuckled and winked at her. "Don't be so hard on him my dear. Severus hasn't led the most ideal life, and he has a fair few enemies whom would love to use you against him. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy have already been sworn to secrecy about your identity." She had heard this too, from her father, but she still didn't like it. "Why even take credit as my father at all?" She grumbled, pushing herself into the cozy seat. "It is better to know and be wary, than to live in ignorance and danger." Dumbledore stated calmly, standing from his seat. "I will see you at the feast this evening, Miss Granger, adieu." He vanished into thin air in front of her, leaving her gaping until someone tapped at her compartment door.

She looked over and saw Draco Malfoy, looking more surly than she could remember him being before, and two goonish boys. She cautiously slid the compartment door open, "Can I help you?" She was very unsure just how to speak to him now. That day in Diagon Alley had been easy, she'd been too curious to be worried about impressions, and now she had to watch herself. "Everywhere else is full. Can we sit in here?" Draco drawled out slowly, trying to fight the blush that wanted to run rampant across his face. She was awfully pretty today. She seemed more natural too, in jeans and a tank top. And, what was that_ thing _in her ear? She ran her fingers through her hair, and it was blocked from his sight before he was completely sure he'd seen it.

"I suppose so. I was just going to read a while, so you can't be too loud." The words slipped out on habit, and just like that she had made herself look like a bookworm know-it-all again. She had unwittingly done the same thing in her primary school. She quickly attempted to redeem herself by pulling out one of the less school-centered books on Quidditch. She supposed it had worked to save her reputation for the moment, but as the train began to pull out of the station she was pulled into an in depth conversation about a sport she knew nothing about.

Halfway through the train ride a lunch trolly came to the door, and she was tempted into buying a large quantity of sweets she had never before tried. It was actually rather fun, she decided, trying out the Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans with Draco and (as she learned after the Quidditch talk) Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. She pulled two identical beans out of the box and received two voices telling her two different flavours. "Marshmallow." Draco said smugly, looking at the beans, "Horseradish." Vincent countered. Hermione didn't want to take her chances though, she was allergic to horseradish. "Well, I can't eat them. I haven't got my epi-pen." She said calmly, setting both the beans in the out stretched hand of Gregory Goyle, who (she discovered) would literally eat anything. "I'm allergic to horseradish." She clarified as she received strange looks.

She had just begun on her licorice wands when a frantic boy appeared outside the cabin. Feeling much more accommodating than usual, Hermione stood up and poked her head into the hall. "Hello, did you lose something?" She asked nicely, scaring the poor boy out of his wits. "_Yeah, his brains_." Draco snickered from inside the cabin, earning muffled guffaws from both Vincent and Gregory. "Trevor, my toad. He's escaped his cage again!" The boy stuttered slightly, clearly intimidated by the laughter from inside. "Would you like some help?" She had merely offered to be polite, but found herself irritated by his urgent sounding "Yes please!"

So she stepped into the hall, suggested that the boys change into their uniforms so that she could change when she came back in ten minutes. She then proceeded to walk around, asking (nicely because she wanted people to like her,) if anyone had seen a toad. She was ignored and poked fun at by most of the people she asked and returned to her compartment in a foul mood. "Just like bloody primary school. Stuck up jerks." She knocked on the door of the compartment as she noticed that the curtains were drawn. It slid open to reveal all three boy dressed and eating squirming chocolate frogs. She felt less angry as Draco tossed her a chocolate frog and warned her through his own mouthful, "Don't let it escape." She opened the box and clamped her hand down over the chocolate frog quickly. It squirmed for a minute before she got the courage to take a bite.

"Okay," She finished it quickly and pointed to the door, "out please. I need to change." She waited for the two larger boys to lumber out, with the lithe blonde leading their way of course, and shut the door behind them. She dug through her trunk, standing on the seat so she could reach, and pulled out the uniform she had set aside for her first day. Just as she was about to step down the train lurched and sent her tumbling to the floor with a shriek. She felt the train lurch a second time and watched in horror as her open trunk tipped over slightly, dumping her clothes everywhere. Before she could try and stand up again the compartment door flew open to reveal Draco (looking more concerned than she would have expected if she had screamed bloody murder) and a new blonde girl she didn't know.

Hermione sputtered in embarrassment, trying to hide the underwear which had fallen out of her trunk from his view. Thankfully the blonde girl had the decency to step in and close the door in Draco's face. "I'm Pansy Parkinson." She offered cheerily, tugging Hermione back onto her feet. "My cousin was concerned when you shrieked." She took her hand back and tutted at the mess. "That's bad timing." Hermione sighed and nodded. "I always have the worst luck." She quickly began gathering the mess of clothes into her arms and reached up to stuff them back in her trunk. Pansy gave her a hand with different shoes, her cloak, and the odd quill that had fallen as well.

"Thanks, I'm Hermione Granger." The brunette and blond shook hands and then Pansy left, so that Hermione could change.

Five minutes later Hermione stepped out of the compartment dressed in her full uniform. She sincerely hoped that Draco wouldn't say anything about her clothes. Strictly speaking, vibrant colours weren't quite allowed. Anything in house colours was fine for second year and above (as she had read in _Hogwarts: a history_) but first years weren't allowed colours until after sorting. She was relieved when nothing was said about her under garments, and she bid them leave for another attempt at searching the train for Trevor the toad. "Don't be so nice about it." Draco called down the hall to her, having heard from Pansy that a bushy haired first year had been having problems with older students.

Hermione, tired of the guff she had received already, took his advice and reverted to the bossy nature she preferred to keep inside. Imagine her surprise when she came across a compartment housing just two boys her own age, and one of them was Harry Potter (whom she'd read about in 'Recent history of England' which had been in the pile of extra books hers father had bought for her.) She tried to be polite, but upon remembering her unhappiness with her father, she came across as being short and condescending. She quickly left, telling them to change into their uniforms, after repairing Harry's glasses. She felt like a nosy show off and a know-it-all jerk by the time she made it back to her compartment, having given up on finding the toad. Neville could just do it himself.

She collapsed into her seat and popped a cauldron cake into her mouth furiously. Draco, not fully used to her mood swings yet, asked her what was wrong, and was absolutely delighted to find out that Harry Potter was only a few doors away. He quickly abandoned her, with Crabbe and Goyle following closely behind him. Hermione was sympathetic as they returned, Vincent clutching his finger painfully, claiming to have been bitten. She offered each of them some of her remaining sweets and the finished the ride in silence.

It was well past night fall when they stepped out onto the platform in Hogsmead, and were ushered towards a giant of a man holding a lantern. "Fir's year's, all fir's year's! Over 'ere!" Hermione stuck closely by Draco, and made her way towards the booming voice.

She saw with a twinge of jealousy that Harry Potter was very chummy with the large man. "I'm Hagrid." He boomed, smiling down at them as though they weren't all looking at him in fear. "C'mon. It' a long trip fer yeh. This way." He began leading them away from the path that the other students were headed. "What house do you think you'll be in Draco?" Hermione asked, trying to take her mind off of her fear of deep waters as they all stepped into little four person boats. The blond shrugged and sat down beside her, "Slytherin. All Malfoy's are in Slytherin. You will try to get in too, won't you?" She wasn't sure. She had read that you never had a choice about your house placement. "I dunno. I suppose Vincent and Gregory, and probably Pansy, will end up in Slytherin with you. I'd like to be with familiar people."

"You can just call them by their last names you know." Draco drawled, motioning to the two sitting across from them, "Professor Snape would probably like it if you wound up in Slytherin. Because you're so bookish." He added the last bit quickly, to cover his slip up in front of Crabbe and Goyle. No one was supposed to have any reason to suspect she was Snape's daughter after all. "Then I hope I'm not!" She declared standoffishly, sticking her nose in the air slightly. "I want to be friends with you guys no matter what house I'm in though." She added hastily, hoping not to offend them. "As long as you're not a Gryffindor." "Deal."

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><p>The great hall was brightly lit and amazing. Hermione watched her new friends get sorted (by a talking hat, she was amazed more and more every minute!) into Slytherin. She heard her name called and blatantly refused to meet her father's eyes as she took a seat on the stool. The hat fell down over her face and began to chuckle excitedly into her ear. "Oh my! So you are the young Snape. Ah, but your name remains that of the muggles." She grew agitated as the hat began to go on about how he (could a hat even have a gender, she wondered,) could not decide where she ought to go. "Normally, I'd say Slytherin at once. But Dumbledore has spoken with me about you." Great. Now the hat was going to remind her of the stupid rules. "Just put me wherever it will bother him the <em>most<em>." She thought desperately, having caught her father's eyes. He seemed to be fighting with himself as the hat was doing. Obviously he wanted her close by in Slytherin, but at the same time did not.

"Well, if you're sure. I know what to do with your brilliance and bravery. GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted the last word and Hermione watched with rebellious pleasure as Snape went ghastly pale. She knew just enough about the houses to know that Slytherin and Gryffindor were mortal enemies. As the hat was removed from her head she felt kind of guilty. Now she would surely never get to go live with her father.

The feast began shortly after, and Hermione cast a longing look at the Slytherin table. She wanted to laugh and talk with Draco and Crabbe and Goyle. They were fun. Instead, she turned to her new housemates, joining in a conversation about parentage. She knew she couldn't point out her father at the staff table, so she described her muggle parents, and decided they could make of it what they will. If she had to deny her heritage to respect her father, then fine. She would deny it so vehemently he'd be hard pressed to believe the truth himself.

Eventually they were all led out of the great hall, with prefects leading them to their dormitories (she was disappointed to hear from a fifth year girl that it was in a tower, she disliked towers.) They were all informed that the password they had to give the fat lady was 'Caput Draconis' (which made her long for her friend even more) and directed to their dormitories. Hermione found out very quickly that she was not very fond of either Lavender Brown or Parvati Patil, although she was glad they were her only room mates.

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><p>Breakfast the next morning was not as unpleasant as Hermione had expected, she struck up a half way decent conversation with Harry and Ron (whom she had snapped at on the train, and felt he was still miffed about) when the owl post came in. She almost didn't recognize Archie as he landed right in front of her, two scraps of parchment in his beak. "Archie! Oh, I do hope you like the Owlery. Is one of these from f-er.." She faltered in her question and was relieved when the owl hooted softly around the parchment. She accepted the letters and held up a piece of bacon from the serving plate in front of her. Archie took the offering and left immediately. She wasn't sure she should open her mail at the table when she noticed Harry and Ron staring at her.<p>

"I...er...bathroom. Be right back." She jumped up and left the great hall, she found the closest washroom and ducked into an empty stall. Once she was satisfied that she was alone, she unfolded the two scraps of parchment and bit her lip. The larger one was from Draco, stating that they couldn't be friends in public because she was in Gryffindor, but seeing as he was the only one who knew the truth about her, they could still talk via owl post or in the library. She almost started crying when she read the second one, which simply stated that her father would have preferred she were in Slytherin, but she ought to remember that she couldn't tell anyone her parentage was anything other than muggle.

She furiously tried to get rid of the proof that she had cried, not leaving until she was satisfied that her eyes were not puffy, and made her way back into the great hall. She had yet to receive her time table after all. She took her seat and was surprised when Harry handed her a time table, "I grabbed an extra from McGonagall for you." She thanked him quietly and read over her class list. Her first class of the day was double Potions with the Slytherins. '_God, if I hadn't been so stubborn last night, that could have been a fun class_.' She thought miserably, pushing her breakfast (toast and hash browns because she didn't like meat,) around on her plate with her fork.

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><p>The first class had just ended, and Hermione had retreated back to the bathrooms to cry after the unmitigated disaster that Potions had become. She had raised her hand to answer every question her father had asked, having already read the entirety of the potions book (it was fascinating) and had been constantly ignored. Every one had ignored her. Except Harry, when he'd been trying to deffer the wrath of the potions master. She hated this school. When she heard the bell to announce the start of class she tore out of the washroom and bolted for transfiguration.<p>

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><p>The week, after the disastrous first day, slowly got better. She had managed to finish all of her assignments the same day she had gotten them, and was able to avoid her father's eyes all through every meal. She only had potions on Mondays and Fridays (which had made Harry and Ron upset,) and she managed to ignore the fact that she was being ignored by her own father through the second class. Now it was Saturday, and she was pleased to receive a letter from Draco, whom was apologizing for her two rough potions classes. He was a very thoughtful friend. She also had a small stack of letters from her father, which she had refused to open. Archie was beginning to get frustrated with her now though.<p>

She settled herself into a dark corner of the library, which was empty, with her favourite sketch book and the stack of letters from her father. She had been informed by Lavender Brown the night before that it was insulting to the owl to ignore the post. She didn't want to hurt Archie's feelings, so she decided to read them today, and get it over with. The first one was a short apology that did not make her feel better in the slightest. She grew agitated to the point of tears by the time she reached the last one, and she tore it up upon reading what it said.

_I would like to get you a birthday cake. What kind would you like?_

She had thought he wouldn't even acknowledge her birthday, which was coming up not this Monday, but next. She decided not to answer yet, she wasn't very pleased at the moment about the life of lies she had been thrust into. Her birthday was the least of her worries. She began scribbling furiously into her sketch book, ignoring the students who entered and exited the library, until she was approached. She looked up as a shadow fell over her drawing, and smiled when she saw her Slytherin friends. "Hi." She gestured for them to sit down, and was relieved when they did.

"I wish I could sit with you guys in class. I'm getting very tired of Harry and Ron complaining about homework." She gushed out breathlessly, offering a timid smile. Draco laughed at her statement and pulled out a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. "What's it like in Gryffindor tower?" Pansy asked, leaning over the table eagerly, picking a jelly bean at random from the box and popping it in her mouth.

"Ah, it's drafty. I don't like towers. I should have asked the hat to put me in Slytherin." She confided, picking a bean for herself. She popped it into her mouth with a laugh as she watched Crabbe and Goyle each stuff a handful in their mouths. Her laugh died on her lips after a moment though. She coughed and felt tears in her eyes. "P-p-pepper!" She gasped, and the Slytherins began to laugh in a good natured at her flailing. However it was at this moment that Harry and Ron stepped into the library. Before she knew what was happening, Harry and Draco had begun to argue and challenge each other to a duel. As the burning from the jelly bean began to dissipate she managed to interfere and threaten to tell on them for fighting. She watched sadly as her Slytherin friends left in a huff, not even saying good bye. At least she had avoided them dueling for now.

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><p>It was announced two weeks into the start of classes that flying lessons would be given, and the Gryffindor first years would be learning with the Slytherins. This news was upsetting to Hermione as she had never seen anyone fly, and aside from knowing it involved a broom, she knew nothing about it.<p>

The night before the lessons were due to begin Hermione was in the library hurriedly trying to find a book on flying, trying to beat the curfew clock. "Come on, come on...come on!" She whispered frantically, searching over the various titles on the shelves, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. "Really Hermione?" A familiar voice drawled from behind her, making the brown haired witch jump a foot in the air. She whipped around, her hand on her heart, and gave a playful glare to the blonde boy. "Oh shush Draco. I need to find a book!" She scolded him and turned back to the shelf before continuing, "It's nearly curfew and I want to read about flying."

Draco, though amused, was here on a mission. "Uncle said you'd be here." He taunted, enjoying how her shoulders tensed at the mention of her father. Things had yet to cool off completely between the two, but things were good enough for him to bring up either in the others presence at the very least. "I bet he did. I'm just a know-it-all after all. Even he's not blind to that." Her voice was bitter and chilly, and very Slytherin in Draco's opinion. "You're definitely not Gryffindor material; I don't know what the hat was thinking." He reached over her shoulder and plucked a white leather bound book down, "Here. This is the one you'll want." He tilted it towards her.

Hermione took the book and read the title aloud "_Quidditch through the ages_." She cracked a smile and held the book close to her chest, "Thanks Draco." "Why _did_ the hat put you in Gryffindor?" He was curious, and had been for a while, so he wasn't about to let the chance pass him by. Not when they could finally speak alone. He watched her face intently as she directed her gaze to the floor.

"I was mad. The night before we came to Hogwarts I asked if there was a chance I could come live with him at the end of term, and he said no." Her voice was so quiet that he was forced to lean in closer as she continued. "Then, on the train, Dumbledore told me the rules, which father hinted at before, and then the hat was favouring their side..." She took a deep, shaky breath and looked up into her friend's eyes. "I told the hat to put me wherever it would annoy him the most."

Draco whistled, mildly impressed. "Well you certainly got enough guts for Gryffindor. But you're more cunning like a Slytherin." He reached out and quickly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, trying very hard not to blush as his fingers grazed her cheek. He withdrew his hand quickly and spun around so he wasn't facing her anymore (he hadn't meant to do it, the hair had been blocking his view of her defiantly pretty eyes.) "It's almost curfew now. We'd better get back to our dorms." He walked quickly towards the library door but paused just before leaving. "You'll be fine tomorrow, Hermione. Just don't fall off your broom." And then he was gone; leaving her clutching her book tightly to her chest, blushing several shades of red. It was really sweet of him to care.

Breakfast was always a noisy affair, what with the owl post, and numerous students scrambling to get their day's homework done over eggs and bacon. Hermione took her usual seat at the Gryffindor table, up by the professor's table, but found that her usual seat mate was missing. Percy Weasley was the only one whom spoke to her in the mornings, and sometimes she thought it was just because he wanted to be a good prefect. She ate quietly at first, trying to remember everything she had read the night before in Quidditch through the ages, and toying with her hash browns.

Soon, however, the great hall was quite full of students, and Hermione had managed to drink almost a full cup of coffee (before it had been turned into pumpkin juice by her irate looking father,) and she was offering up any and all of the information she had learned. Neville Longbottom, the boy from the train, whom she had thought a little annoying before, was hanging onto her every word. Sadly he was the only one. As soon as the post came Hermione stopped talking and pushed her food around her plate, pretending to eat. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Neville opened his post, "_It's a remembrall_." Archie flew down in front of her and gave a warm hoot, offering her another small piece of parchment. "Oh! Archie, I didn't think you would have anything for me today." She accepted the letter and reached for a piece of bacon (not noticing it was the last one on the platter,) and was about to rise from the table when a whine caught her attention.

All the eyes at the table were drawn to Ron, the eager and excitable red haired wizard, who was glaring daggers at her. "What'd you do that for!" He growled, motioning to the now empty bacon plate. Hermione, feeling rather confused, made a small gesture with her post and stated rather blandly, "I was giving Archie a treat. He likes bacon." "Yeah well I like it too, and I need it more than your ruddy owl!" By now people were watching from the other tables as well. Hermione felt her face go red with frustration. How could she be in this house, with the whiniest boys, complaining about home work and, now, bacon. "You're not the center of the universe RON! I'll reward my owl with bacon if I want to! There's lots more down the table!" And then she stormed out of the great hall, her hair flying about her in her fury.

Snape watched the interaction from his seat and scowled. How that Weasley boy thought he was so important, he'd never know. He found himself longing, not for the first time, to give the boy detention for upsetting his daughter; but he knew he couldn't. Hermione wasn't in his house, and it would be odd for him to show her any favour now, even if she weren't a Gryffindor. He watched with boredom as Draco stood up and made his way over to the Gryffindor table, seemingly intent on causing mischief. Snape recognized the look in his eyes though, as the young Malfoy began to taunt Longbottom about his gift, it was jealousy. Severus wasn't exactly sure how to feel about this as he watched McGonagall break up the interaction, just what exactly was his godson jealous of?

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><p>At three thirty that afternoon (it was a nice, comfortable Thursday) the first years of Gryffindor and Slytherin were lined up out on the grounds, facing a woman with short grey hair and yellow eyes. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She barked, making several of them jump, "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." Hermione eagerly dashed over to the closest broom and examined the rough shape it was in. She didn't like how the tail twigs stuck out at funny angles, or the number of dents in the handle. "Stick out your right hand over your broom," Called out Madam Hooch, "and say 'Up'!"<p>

Hermione felt her mouth go dry as she attempted to focus, "U-up!" Her face went abominably red as her broom simply rolled over, and she saw that several other students had fared much better, including Harry and Ron. "Up!" She said sternly, bound and determined to get it to respond before Neville did. She smiled in relief as it finally shot up into her hand, and she caught Draco smirking at her from where he was standing next to Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy. She wanted to go over to them as she felt the gloating stare of Ron; whom seemed to think the fact that his broom responded before hers made him better than her.

"Now mount." Everyone swung their legs over their brooms (even Neville, who had finally managed to get his broom up,) and madam Hooch walked around correcting all their grips. Hermione felt the urge to tug Harry and Ron off their brooms as they snickered at madam Hooch telling Draco he'd been doing it wrong for years. Who was she to say that? Everyone flew differently, there was no right or wrong, according to _Quidditch through the ages_.

"Now when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard, keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -" Hermione watched, shocked, as Neville pushed off of the ground early. The Gryffindor students watched fearfully as he shot up like a cork, only to fall sideways off his broom. His broomstick however continued to rise and drift off towards the forbidden forest. As soon as madam Hooch had Neville in the castle (throwing a quick threat over her shoulder for everyone else to stay on the ground or face expulsion,) Draco burst out laughing with the Slytherins. "Did you see his face, the great lump!"

Parvati, one of Hermione's room mates, quickly snapped "Shut up Malfoy." Earning a leering glare from Pansy. "Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought _you'd_ like fat little crybabies Parvati." Hermione bit back a giggle as her room mate went red from embarrassment. "Look!" Draco darted forward and plucked something out of the grass, which Hermione immediately recognized as Neville's remembrall. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The blond boy held it up so it caught in the sun and glittered, "Give it here Malfoy!" Harry said bravely, but he was ignored as Draco shot a quick wink towards Hermione. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about up a tree?" He climbed onto his broom, making a show of it so Hermione could see what he was doing.

The brunette smiled gratefully, eagerly taking in his every move as he flew up to the top branches of an oak. "Give it here!" Harry shouted from her left, breaking her out of her daze as the second boy went to mount his broom. "NO!" She shouted suddenly, remembering the stern words of the teacher, "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble!" Of course the class seemed to generally take this as concern for Harry, however she kept her pleading eyes pinned to her Slytherin friend.

Harry kicked himself off the ground, and before anyone was entirely sure what had happened, Draco was back on the ground and Harry was going into a spectacular dive. As soon as it began, it was over and Harry was back on the ground, practically flaunting the remembrall, which he'd caught. "HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall's strict voice cut through the joyous laughter of the Gryffindors (this excluded of course Hermione, whom wasn't pleased with her class mate's attitude for the rules.) She dragged Harry back into the castle, ranting and raving.

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><p>Hermione was seething that night at dinner, sitting just separate of her classmates as Harry-bloody-Potter told them he'd been given a place on the quidditch team, instead of detention. "You're<em> joking<em>!" Ron howled with laughter, only making the brunette more angry. She quickly decided that she wasn't hungry and was about to leave when she saw Draco heading towards the dark haired prodigy boy, with Crabbe and Goyle. She quickly scooted down closer to the boys and prepared to step in and prevent yet another duel.

And she was right that the interaction was headed in that direction. Soon Draco had taunted Harry and Ron into a duel at midnight. "Excuse me," She cut in as the Slytherins walked away and Ron explained the concept of a duel to Harry. They both looked up at her, a less intelligent form of disdain on their faces, "Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron whined at her, but she ignored him. "I couldn't help overhearing what you and Dr-Malfoy were saying-" "Bet you could." Ron muttered, cutting her off, but she ignored him again and continued. "-and you _musn't _go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you." "And it's really none of your business." Harry quipped back at her, he and Ron watching as she stormed out of the great hall.

Hermione sat by the fire until she couldn't take the nasty looks being sent her way by Ron any longer. She had seriously thought about telling Percy, as he was a prefect, but she hadn't seen him at all since dinner. She laid awake in bed until 11:30, and made her way back down into the common room. She decided to try one last time to stop them; she didn't have to wait long. The two boys snuck down and made their way to the portrait hole, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." She scolded, turning on an oil lamp to cast light upon the room. She told them she'd thought about telling Percy, but they still shuffled out of the portrait hole stubbornly. So she followed them, hissing about the house cup, and points, and McGonagall. They told her to go away, and she shook her head bitterly and turned around to go back to bed, (let the idiots get caught then,) only to find herself facing an empty portrait. So she followed them.

After a few moments of bickering with Ron (whom she did not enjoy speaking to) they came across Neville, who was asleep on the floor. He jerked awake as they got closer and began gushing about how he'd forgotten the password, "It's 'Pig Snout', but she's not in the portrait." So she and Neville were both forced into following Harry and Ron to the trophy room (the chosen place for the duel,) only to find out it was a set up.

Soon the four of them were running back towards Gryffindor tower (or they hoped they were,) being chased by Peeves, Filch and Mrs. Norris. Hermione and Harry managed to avoid colliding with most things, excluding the odd wall or door, however Ron and Neville both had the grace of rogue elephants. They came to a dead end quickly and Hermione whipped out her wand, "_Alohamora_." She whispered to the locked door before shoving the boys inside and closing the door behind them.

Just when they thought they were safe, Neville brought their attention to the giant three headed dog that was staring at them. Hermione (being the only one with some sense about her,) jammed Harry in the ribs, as he was the closest to the door. The dog watched them as Harry fumbled with the door, quickly getting over the surprise that she was sure was to thank for their continued existence. The door opened and all four Gryffindor's fell backwards into the hall, Harry wasted no time in throwing the door shut and bolting towards Gryffindor tower. When the fat lady saw them she immediately demanded to know why they were all out of bed, however Harry cut her off with the password "Pig Snout." They all collapsed into armchairs once they were safely inside the common room.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron was, of course, the one to break their silence. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does." Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to face the red head with a glare, "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" She snapped, relishing in their moment of shock, "Didn't you see what it was standing on?" "The floor? I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads." "No, _not _the floor. It was standing on a trap door. It's obviously guarding something!" She stood up quickly, sweeping her gaze across all three boys. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." She stormed up the stairs to her dorm, ignoring Ron's snide comments about how they 'didn't mind' and 'hadn't made her come along.'

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><p>Breakfast the next day would have been quiet, Hermione supposed, had Harry not received a very obviously-shaped peice of post. The overly tired brunette scowled but refrained from opening her mouth, she was quite angry with the two. Here she was, trying to fight off the exhaustion that had settled in over night (she hadn't been able to sleep at all,) and her blasted father kept turning her coffee into pumpkin juice. She <em>hated<em> pumpkin juice. She threw her fork down in her plate, deciding to give up the pretense of eating, and stormed out of the great hall to gather her books before potions.

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><p>Ok, this chapter is as long as the first two put together, and then some. I'm posting it tonight because I won't be able to post tomorrow, but i'll be back to posting on sunday probably. If I can. As a precaution I've loaded all the chapters to my account, so I can update from where ever.<p> 


	4. Aftermath Of A Troll

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter four: Aftermath of a troll

Disclaimer: You already know.

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><p>It was now September nineteenth, and Hermione was finally eleven. She could have brought herself to be happy, even, if she hadn't had to attend another disastrous double potions lesson that day. She had stopped raising her hand to answer questions, knowing it would just be ignored, and was scolded by her father, who deducted ten points for her holding back in her work. She was, needless to say, too livid to attend either lunch or dinner. She didn't care if he did get her a birthday cake, she didn't want to see her father.<p>

She attended every class however, and received a note from Draco, which was actually a home-made sort of birthday card, signed by all of her Slytherin friends, and Milicent Bullstrode and Blaise Zabini (neither of whom she had yet spoken to.)

She was getting ready for bed that evening when Archie showed up at her dorm window. She let him in immediately, and patted his head gently as he dropped a birthday card on her pillow, with a small box. "Thank you Archie. I'm glad you're not mad at me any more." She offered him an owl treat and opened the birthday card. It was from her muggle parents, and it contained a letter from Julie, whom was wishing her well, and offering to beat up her father for ignoring her (she had written Julie a few times after her disastrous days.) She smiled and placed the card on her night stand, and the letter in her pillow case. "Who is the box from Archie?"

She picked it up and began peeling away the brown paper wrapping. Written in the familiar scrawl of her hot and cold father on the lid of the box was _'This belonged to your mother.'_ She opened the box and gasped. It was a very pretty butterfly barrette. Underneath it was a small piece of parchment which stated that it was a protectively enchanted barrette. Suddenly she wasn't quite as angry with her father. Yet again he had proven himself thoughtful.

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><p>Halloween was fast approaching and Hermione never failed to attend a class, her bangs clipped back by her butterfly barrette. She had caught Snape smile at the sight of her wearing her present to breakfast the day after her birthday. After that he'd actually let her answer questions in his class, and even offered five points for stopping Neville Longbottom from turning a sleeping drought into a toxic mess. She hadn't managed to make any real friends in Gryffindor yet though, but her friends from Slytherin wrote her plenty (occassionally asking for homework help, but not nearly as often as Harry and Ron did.)<p>

She was looking forward to the Halloween feast from the moment she got up that dreary Thursday, and had managed to be both cheerful and friendly all day, until Charms. They were learning how to levitate objects this week, and she noticed Ron was having trouble. "No no no, Ron, stop. Stop." She placed her hand over his wand and shook her head. "You're going to take some one's eye it out. Swish and flick. And it's Wingardium lev_io_sa, not levio-_sa_." The red head threw her a dirty look and told her to do it, if she was so perfect, and she did. The bell soon rang and both Harry and Ron rushed out, leaving Hermione cursing to herself for alienating them even more.

She hurried out after them, managing to catch up with them in the courtyard. Just as she was about to call out, she over heard Ron mocking her. "...god it's no wonder she hasn't got any friends." His words cut through her, making her try to fight back the urge to tell him he was wrong. She had friends. She felt tears burning behind her eyes and hurried up her pace, shoving past the thoughtless red head and his stupid dark haired best friend. She spent the rest of the afternoon crying in the girls toilet. She brooded over the time she had been out late with the boys after they had been led into a trap by Malfoy (as she had to call him around Harry and Ron) and they had stumbled upon the giant three headed dog.

For a short while, they had almost even been friendly with her after that. But now she knew they just wanted her help on homework. She hated being used for homework.

She eventually heard the familiar high pitched voices of her room mates, but stayed hidden in the stall when they called out her name in uncertainty. She dutifully blocked out all sounds, and stayed in her stall until she heard a rush of feet, and assumed that the feast was now over. She never noticed the large figure that lumbered into the girls toilet as she stepped out of her stall. It wasn't until she looked up into the mirror and saw a great blue-ish gray beast behind her that she screamed and tried to duck for cover. "_Oh god. I'm going to die_!" She thought, more tears falling down her face as she continually tried to dodge the blows from the troll.

She was so relieved when the door swung open to reveal Harry and Ron, rushing the troll, that she instantly forgot her anger at them. They had come to save her. She watched in fascinated horror as Harry shoved his wand up the troll's nose, and Ron charmed its club to float. Before the troll knew what was happening, it had been knocked out, and she had latched herself onto both of the Gryffindor boys, sobbing for the joy of having lived. She was shocked when the door way was filled with teachers, her father included, and punishments began to be handed out left right and center. She bit her lip and began telling McGonagall about how it was all her fault, and Harry and Ron had saved her life. "Please, professor McGonagall, they were looking for me." She felt the bewildered stare of her father, "Miss Granger!" McGonagall cried out angrily.

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own. You know, because I've read all about them." She nearly withered under the mortified glare her father was now giving her. McGonagall flustered out her disapproval, and dismissed Hermione, taking five points from Gryffindor. Hermione sent a guilty look at her father and bolted out of the bathroom, crying again as she headed for Gryffindor tower. She came across Draco half way there, and he stopped her once he noticed her ashen appearance. She told him everything, figuring he'd hear all about it anyway. He seemed angry towards Harry and Ron at first, but by the end of her tale he was as pale as she was. "Well...at least they can protect you. Good choice in friends, 'mione. But I'll never like Weasel." He let her leave then, and she smiled dully at him. "You're a good friend Draco." She mumbled with a blush, before resuming her trek to the common room again.

When Harry and Ron got there she gave them both an awkward "Thanks." and rushed off to get a plate of food, which was being served in the towers, due to the troll, and she was thankful for that.

Breakfast the next day was a strange affair for Hermione, as she received her owl post half an hour before most students, and had received a howler. She hadn't known what to do with the smoking envelope until it exploded, and an angry voice told her he "_was VERY disappointed in her_," and that she was "_Grounded till Christmas_." Her face burned in shame as she felt her father's withering glare again. Great. Grounded by the father she barely knew, because she'd been crying in a toilet and nearly killed by a troll. But, as Harry and Ron comforted her (neither asking how exactly her muggle father had sent a howler) she felt that it might just be worth it. Until they got into double potions and she accidentally spilled some armadillo bile. Snape had gone to town, deducting ten points and giving a weeks detention of cleaning the dungeons. She was sure that this had more to do with the previous night than her clumsiness however.

When Hermione reported for her first detention, her suspicion was confirmed. Snape was apoplectic about the troll incident, but though she was unwilling to rat out her friends, it turned out to her dismay, that Draco already had.

"How could you cover for those two like that! You could have been expelled!" He was pacing around furiously as she sat at her desk, shaking like a leaf. Her father was scary. "I don't want you ever to do anything like that again! I won't lose you so soon after finding you Hermione!" Yes, he was _very_ scary. At the end of his rant he sent her to her room, telling her she would clean tomorrow. He was done with her for today.

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><p>By mid November her mood was brightening up a bit, soon her grounding would be over, and she had been given permission to attend Harry's first quidditch game as the Gryffindor seeker. At times, she and Ron both resented the special treatment that was showered upon Harry like he was a prince. It didn't seem fair to her, because her father was a teacher, she was punished more severely than anyone else.<p>

Today was bitterly cold, but Hermione had lured the boys outside to show off a new spell she had learned, which made pretty bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jar. She was so carried away in her excitement that she didn't even think to warn Harry that library books were not allowed outside of the school, as he was reading quidditch through the ages. The wind got colder and she was about to suggest they go back inside for hot chocolate when they saw Snape limping out the front doors of the castle. Hermione quickly pocketed her fire, and prayed he wouldn't spot her, as she was still grounded, and he would surely flip.

To her dismay he spotted them and limped over with a scowl. She knew she wasn't going to get yelled at just yet, but his eyes clearly told her he was disappointed. "What's that you've got there, Potter?" He instead directed his anger onto Harry, who held the book up for Snape to see. "Library books are not to be taken outside the school." He said, sticking out his hand, "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor." Hermione bit her lip as her father limped away, and Harry and Ron muttered scathing remarks about how much pain they wished he was in. She had been too terrified during her detentions to ask about his limp. She wondered if it was even her place to ask.

After dinner the three friends retired to the Gryffindor common room, where Hermione (to shut him up for five minutes) looked over Ron's charms homework. She vaguely heard Harry declare he was going to try and get his book back from Snape, to which both she and Ron offered a "Better you than me." Although for different reasons. She was reluctant to go and be grounded for longer, where as Ron just didn't like Snape.

Ten minutes later Harry re-entered the common room gasping for breath and proceeded to tell them what he had seen.

Hermione was outraged as they accused her father, but was unable to say anything in his defense. However, her self control snapped when Harry proceeded to accuse Snape of letting in the troll. "No! He wouldn't," She said quickly, trying to hide her irritation, "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try to steal something Dumbledore was trying to keep safe." She was alluding, of course, to the parcel that Harry had seen Hagrid withdraw from Gringotts. She managed not to say that she knew for a fact he was too close to Dumbledore to do such a thing. She stormed off to her dormitory as they continued their slander on her family name (not that they knew it of course.)

The morning was chilly as the Gryffindor quidditch team sat in the great hall, trying to convince Harry to eat before his first game. Hermione however ducked out of the room as she was given a parchment slip from Archie (the only owl who delivered something every single weekend,) that told her she was to report to the dungeon's immediately. She reached the potions classroom in record time and let herself in. She seated herself at her usual desk, waiting for her aggravated father to show up and scold her.

By the time Snape had gotten there (having the limp had slowed him down ever so slightly) Hermione was drumming her fingers on the table out of irritation. She wished that just once her father would seek her company to offer praise for something. She did more good than bad.

"You are grounded for another week." He growled, passing by her desk, to sit at his own. "You may still attend the match however." He was fairly surprised, though he hid it well, when he received a glare from his daughter. "What gives you the right to ground me?" She muttered, just loud enough for him to hear her. "I am your father!" He shouted, earning a dirty look from her. "Only when there's punishment to be handed out. And you're a hypocrite!" She stood up abruptly and made to leave the class. "You will be going home for the holidays." His voice was cold as ever, and she got even angrier. She had wanted to stay at Hogwarts. She didn't like spending Christmas with Danny hovering around her like a prat, or Sarah trilling on about mistletoe and boys. "Why!" She spun around, tears already streaming down her face. "You're the worst!" She brought her hands up to try and brush away her angry tears. She was caught off guard when she was wrapped up in a stiff hug, her father obviously uncomfortable with the gesture.

"You don't mean that." His voice was calm now, and it soothed her as she hiccuped and buried her face further into his chest. She had never had the opportunity to hug her father, and now she was determined to memorize it, because she was certain it wouldn't happen again. "You will be safer at home, with the muggles. Something isn't quite right here." He let her go abruptly and gave an uncomfortable cough. "Now - now, go off to the match. But don't forget you must return directly to your dorm after dinner." She walked out of the potions class room more confused than she had ever felt.

She watched the match with little interest, her eyes constantly drifting to her father as he watched the game with a scowl. Gryffindor was winning. After a while she and Ron were joined in the stands by Hagrid, whom was toting a pair of binoculars. But not ten minutes later the game began to get strange. Harry's broom became violet towards its rider, and tried to throw Harry a hundred feet to his death. Ron had snatched the binoculars from Hagrid and directed them at Snape. He bullied Hermione into looking, and she quickly left her seat. She didn't believe for a second that her father was casting the curse on the broom, but she figured she could use his clear distraction to cause a diversion to throw off whomever was actually casting the curse. She pulled out her jar of flames and set them on the hem of her father's robes.

It didn't take long for the whole row to be up heaved, and she scooped the flames back into the jar, disappearing from sight as Quirrell (the ever so stuttery and obnoxiously inept defense against the dark arts teacher, whom she didn't particularly like) was knocked off his seat.

By the time she got back to her seat Harry had gone into a nose dive after the snitch. He leveled out his broom a foot from the ground and stood himself on the handle (she rolled her eyes at how much of a show off he was without ever realizing it) and lunged forward. There was a deafening silence as Harry rolled across the grass, and stood back up. Suddenly he lurched forward and spat out the snitch. Gryffindor had just beaten Slytherin.

Shortly after the game was done, and Harry changed out of his uniform, Hermione found herself sitting in the cozy hut that belonged to the groundskeeper, Hagrid, with Ron and the star-seeker himself. "It was Snape," Ron started saying loudly, as Harry brought up the strange behavior of his broom, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes of you." Hermione was about to interject, again feeling insulted by their dislike of her father (not that she liked him much better sometimes,) when Hagrid beat her to it. "Rubbish." The giant man sent Hermione a knowing look, and she figured he probably knew the secret, "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

The three Gryfindor's exchanged a look, and Hermione decided to let the boy's handle the situation. She certainly couldn't prove her father's innocence, and she didn't want to lose her new friends for favouring their least favourite teacher. So Harry, ever eager to be the first to speak, told Hagrid about how he knew Snape had tried to get past the giant three-headed dog. The reaction they got was, she had to admit, pretty amusing. "How do you know about Fluffy?"

The next several minutes was spent in explaining on Hagrid's part, about 'Fluffy', and on Harry and Ron's part, complaining that they had to know what was being guarded because Snape was trying to steal it. Hermione, seeing an inevitable outcome of being sent back to the dormitories (she was sure if her father knew she was here right now, she'd be grounded til year end,) decided to cut in, making a big performance about how Snape had been muttering a curse. She, of course, didn't believe it at all, but the boys seemed happy and Hagrid was chuckling to himself as they were dismissed to go back up for dinner. Of course, they didn't leave without learning a new piece of information. A man named Nicholas Flamel was somehow involved.

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><p>And here's chapter four. You are bound to notice that I skip over a fair few minor details in favour of more perspective, among other things, and it's just because I don't want to simply re-write the book, with a few things added here and there, I want it to feel almost like a new experience. But without destroying the original quality.<p>

And, to answer one of my reviewer's, yes, there will be a little more bonding time between Snape and Hermione, although it will be rather strained, as their relationship isn't completely ideal. I did a count and my storry is five chapters shorter than the Sorcerer's stone (though that may well be because I didn't start out with the intent of seperating my chapters (I prefer to deal with that afterwards.) but it took me (no joke) four hours to proof read, before it was even finished. And then, I ran each chapter through spell check, so there's much love gone into my writing.

Also, I'm working on Year Two as we speak, so the sequel can be done hopefully shortly after I finish posting Year One


	5. And A Partridge In A Pear Tree

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Five: ...and a partridge in a pear tree

Disclaimer: Obviously.

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><p>Hermione threw on her dark black jeans and olive green sweater as she packed a few necessary items into her travel bag. The Hogwarts express was going to be leaving in an hour, and her father had made it clear she would be on it. Or else she'd be grounded the rest of the year (thankfully he never seemed to have found out about her trip to Hagrid's hut.) She tugged on her converse sneakers and pulled her hair back into a pony tail. It was high time she headed down to the great hall. Harry and Ron had decided to spend the day there, playing wizards chess (she thought it was barbaric) instead of riffling through the library for the name Nicholas Flamel, like they <em>ought<em> to have been doing. She rolled her eyes as she left the tower, carrying her bag over one shoulder.

She had almost made it to the great hall when she bumped into Snape and Draco, talking about god-only-knows what, seeing as they both appeared to be having a good time. She decided to cut around them, hoping not to be seen, but was met with no success as a very perturbed voice made her freeze mid-step. "What the _hell_ is that?" She turned to face the two, finding that it had been Draco (curse his good eyes to hell) that had apparently spotted her industrial earing.

Of course, her hand flew up to tug some hair down to hide it before her father could see it, but she wasn't quick enough. "Is that a _piercing_." Severus could not believe what he was seeing, and he was glad that Draco had spotted it first and brought it to his attention. "When did you do that?" Hermione rolled her eyes at the two, it would have been more frightening to try and explain her piercing to her frustratingly over protective father had Draco not been there, gaping right beside him. "It was a birthday present from Julie." She sniffed, turning back to face the great hall. "Besides, there's no rules against piercings here." She added, walking off with a smirk growing steadily on her face. She would probably be scolded later, be forced to take it out, and forbidden from spending time with her dear older sister. But right now she was on top of the world. Ah rebellion.

She was cuddled nicely into the cushioned bench in her compartment when Draco found her later. "You should have seen his face." She knew, of course, that he was referring to her father. She imagined he had probably gone apoplectic again after she left, and she smirked again. "I imagine it was similar to when he re-grounded me for stepping foot outside the castle with Harry and Ron while I was grounded." The blonde settled himself across from her with a chuckle. "I don't see why you let yourself get in trouble for them again." She scoffed and put down her book (her very own copy of _Hogwarts: a history_,) "Actually that one was my idea. I learned something really cool, and I wanted to show them." She pulled her jar of flames out of her bag and showed it to her best Slytherin friend.

Draco smirked and observed the flames. "So you got in trouble just to show off? You're turning into Potter." His comment earned him her very best imitation of her father's pissed-off glare. "I'm nothing like Harry. For one thing, I get grounded for stepping out of line. Harry gets house points and special privileges." She then flashed the blonde a smile and added, "I'm also not a boy. I'm most definitely a _girl_." She made a pointed gesture towards her body, which would have probably made her point clearer if she weren't eleven.

"Oh please. if you cut your hair short enough you could be twins!" Draco's little joke was rewarded by Hermione jinxing him with the jelly-legs jinx, and tossing him into the corridor. Regardless to say she didn't let him back in until he had apologized.

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><p>Christmas was always a rather strained event in the Granger household, and this year was no different in that aspect. What was different, however, was the fact that Severus Snape, accompanied by Draco Malfoy, had shown up on Hermione's door step on Christmas eve. Jane and David Granger were quick to invite them in, offer them tea, and set them down by the fire. Of course, Danny Granger was not as thrilled as his parents. He resented the fact that Hermione was 'special' and had a cool father, who looked like a spy might have. He jabbed fun at her restlessly, and even attempted to have a go at Draco, only to be scoffed at.<p>

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked through gritted teeth as Jane Granger dragged Danny upstairs and loudly informed him to go to his room. Draco cast her a feigned look of hurt and began spouting nonsense about having missed her very dearly and been unable to take the thought of her being _alone_ for Christmas. Snape just quietly sipped his tea, a smile tugging at his lips at the theatrics. "Oh sod off. I don't want to hear that rubbish." (she was promptly scolded by three parents for her language.)

"It is Christmas, that is why we are here. Narcissa and Lucius were called away for the holidays, and I thought perhaps you would each like some one your own age to spend the holidays with." Snape's explanation didn't make her feel any better. She didn't think she could handle this being an extended visit. Three parents around to scold and punish her for misdeeds. Oh joy.

However Jane gushed at the idea, and immediately had the spare room set up for Snape, and a cot set up in both Hermione's room (for Julie who was originally in the spare room) and one in Joey's room (whom was fifteen, and much more relaxed about the idea of sharing than Danny was, for Draco.) Of course as the night wore on, with Snape intervening in any conversation Hermione tried to have with Julie (directly, or indirectly by sending Draco over with a question,) Hermione figured out what the actual motive had been. Keep Julie from buying Hermione another piercing. She could have laughed in their faces as the realization struck her.

After a while she went out of her way to bring the topic up with her sister, fighting back her giggles at the panicked look that crossed her father's face every time. It was an hours amusement before Julie suggest a tattoo, having caught onto the game, and mistakenly suggested the snake and skull tattoo her new boyfriend had on his arm. Hermione hadn't been prepared for the following outburst from her father, wherein he shouted she was under no circumstances to ever get such a tattoo, anywhere, ever. She tried to reason with him, on behalf of Julie whom was shaking in her socks at the outburst, that it was strictly a joke, but wound up being sent to her room and locked in magically.

A half hour later Julie came up, pale and ashen, informing Hermione through the door that she was sorry to have suggested it, jokingly or not. It was another half hour before Severus unlocked the door and led her downstairs to the living room. "I'm sorry for reacting so harshly earlier." He stated as he directed her to sit between her muggle parents. "I owe an explanation to you." He paced around, stopping only to send the odd horrified look into the fire place. He waved his wand quickly, ensuring the room was sealed quite securely, before starting his explanation.

"Hermione knows a little of the dark lord," He started, waiting for her to nod before continuing on. "Eleven years ago, he-who-must-not-be-named was defeated by Harry Potter. His followers have mostly escaped unscathed into the wizarding world feigning innocence or ignorance for their crimes." He paused in his pacing and turned to face the eldest daughter of the Grangers, "These followers were marked by he-who-must-not-be-named so that he could call them at his whim. He marked them with tattoo's."

Hermione had a feeling she knew where this was going, and suddenly wished she and Julie had never goaded her father on with talk of piercings and tattoo's.

"The tattoo was always on the upper left arm, and was always a skull with a snake tongue." Severus was debating with himself as to whether or not it was time to reveal much more about the situation. "I suggest you," He pointed to Julie, "Give me your boyfriends name, so I can research him. It is very dangerous for muggles to get friendly with death eaters." Julie gaped and hung her head. Her boyfriend was an evil wizard. Just great. "Adam Nott." She whispered hoarsely. "Very well." Snape turned to face Draco and saw the grim look on the blond boy's face. That name was awfully familiar.

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><p>Christmas morning dawned, and Hermione found herself restlessly pacing around her bedroom. Her muggle parent's had been quick to accept everything Snape had said at face value, and forgiven him for his rather scary outburst in a flash. She had thought, for a fleeting moment, that they would try and kick out her father and pull her out of Hogwarts (not that she would have let them.) The little information she had been given the night before left her to wonder a lot about her father, and the possible life he had led. He seemed to know lots about the 'death eaters' (as he had called them) and she remembered Dumbledore's specific concerns about people who would want to hurt her father. Maybe he had crossed paths with them before she was born? Maybe they had been the reason her mom had died! She quickly began scribbling her thoughts down in her diary, being careful not to mention anything about names.<p>

Severus had just apparated into the guest room of the Granger's house when he heard an owl tapping at the window. He cast a glance at the clock sitting beside the floral patterned bed and was disappointed to find he would not be sleeping tonight. It was five in the morning, and he had only just returned from his search for Adam Nott. He briskly sauntered to the window and let in the barn owl, one of the school's owls he deducted, and took the scroll from its offered leg. Severus was disappointed to see what was written. Dumbledore could be such a trusting fool sometimes.

Hermione's frantic writing was interrupted by a knock on her door, which awoke Julie. "Come on girls, everyone's waiting on you!" Jane's voice called through the door, making Julie groan. "Oh my god, it's eight. How did I sleep in on Christmas?" Julie was up and out the door before Hermione could even put her diary back in its place on her shelf. She followed the familiar path down stairs and was greeted by the strangest sight she was sure she would ever see. Her oldest sister was holding onto what appeared to be a large Christmas cracker, and Draco had the other end. "This is going to be loud." He drawled, and as they both tugged at the opposing ends there was a thunderous crack. Suddenly there was confetti and mice everywhere, and a thick cloud of bright blue smoke. By the time everything had died down, Julie was wearing a pirates hat.

Hermione was thrilled as she unwrapped the presents from her muggle parents and found a small portable music player she had been asking for since the previous year. Severus wasn't so thrilled by this, of course, because now he was going to have to explain that not only did muggle machines go haywire in Hogwarts, there was no electricity. He was beat to the punch by Draco, whom had shoved his own presents aside in boredom, "What's that?" "It's an mp3 player. It plays music." Hermione pushed the center button and showed him how the screen lit up. "Is it magic?" Draco asked, plucking the small device out of her hands. "No. It's a muggle invention." "It won't work in Hogwarts then." He drawled, dropping it back in her hand.

Hermione sighed and looked down at the small device, "I guess not. It's electronic. We don't even have plugs." She looked up to her muggle parents and offered a small smile, "Thank you though. I can still use it when I come home for the holidays!" There was a flash of concern across the faces of all three parents, however it was short lived as Draco handed Hermione a poorly wrapped box. "Er, Pansy picked it out. Except the candy. That was Crabbe." All eyes fell onto the present as Hermione began to unwrap it hastily. The first thing she saw was a diary, which came with a fluffy green quill, and then she spotted a small assortment of sweets she had never seen before. Two red suckers, a strange quill, and something brown and crunchy looking. "Err what are these?" She asked hesitantly, picking up the brown crunchy things. "Cockroach clusters. They're Crabbe's favourite."

She put the bag down quickly. "Thanks. It's a very nice gift. I needed a new diary." She flipped it open and found a small piece of paper with instructions. It was apparently a magic diary, which would only allow her to see her own entries, and would insult anyone else who tried to read it. As long as she only used the special quill. She pulled the wrapper off of one of the suckers and was about to taste it when the blond Slytherin boy returned his attention to her. "NO!" He shouted suddenly, stopping her just before she put the sweet in her mouth. "I...I think that's a blood pop. You probably won't like it." He said quickly, a blush rapidly growing on his face over his outburst.

Severus chuckled from his seat by the fire as he began to flip through the book he had retrieved from his home earlier that morning. It was much nicer to see his daughter interacting with his godson, rather than the two trouble-magnet Gryffindor boys. Even if he wasn't quite sure he approved of the looks Draco would send her way when she wasn't looking. His daughter was not going to be mixed up with the Malfoys. They were much too close to the dark lord when he had been in power.

A few hours later the children had all gone outside to play in the snow, and Severus was left inside, speaking with Jane and David. "She is keeping out of trouble, isn't she?" Jane asked hesitantly, "Well," Snape wasn't sure he should answer honestly. He was a very well accomplished as a liar, and there was certainly no way these muggles would figure him out, however they had raised Hermione. It was only fair that they knew what their daughter was constantly getting up to. "Actually she is well behaved most of the time. However two of her housemates have been known to lead her astray." He folded his hands over his knees and leaned forward in his chair as he continued. "There was an incident on Halloween, involving a mountain troll, for instance."

Jane squeaked in horror as he informed them about what had happened so far during the school year. "Oh my baby!" She wailed at the end, earning an uncomfortable silence as they recalled that Hermione was more Snape's 'baby' than theirs. "I assure you, Mrs. Granger," Severus soothed, "that I have been keeping a very close eye on Hermione. Even when I can not be around. Her house head keeps a close eye on her as well." And as an after thought he added, "I have also had to ground her. For the troll incident."

Hermione was having the most fun she'd ever had during the holidays as she and Draco pelted Danny with snowballs from the bushes. By the time darkness fell all of them were covered head to toe in ice and snow, and stumbled their way back into the Granger house hold. As she was climbing the steps Hermione slipped and tumbled back down onto the icy path. "Ouch!" She gasped and held her right wrist in close to her body, as she had crushed it when she fell.

Draco stopped immediately and bent down to help her up. "You okay?" He asked, grabbing onto the hand she wasn't hiding and pulling her up. "I landed on my wrist." There was tears in her eyes as he helped her into the house. "Uncle!" Draco called out loudly, setting Hermione down at the kitchen table, and prying her injured hand away from her body so he could see. "That looks bad." He commented, as Hermione tried to hide her tears.

Severus quickly made his way into the kitchen, his wand drawn, and sighed at the sight. She was hurt, and Draco was comforting her, examining her wrist as it turned purple. Snape knelt down next to where his daughter was sitting and gingerly took hold of her wrist. "That's broken." He said calmly, taking notice of the awful swelling. He murmured a spell quietly, mending the bone perfectly. "There. I'm afraid I can't do anything about the swelling, but it is at least no longer broken."

Hermione launched herself into Snape's chest as soon as she was healed, creating a very awkward jealous feeling rise in Draco's chest. _He_ want to be the one she was hugging. He had been the one to help her inside after all.

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><p>The night before they were to return to Hogwarts Hermione sat in her room with Draco, packing her bag up. Her (very anal, she thought) parents had threatened her to keep the door open, and her father had gone so far as to vanish the door. "Why are parent's so strict?" She mumbled, holding two different muggle books (her very favourite ones,) trying to decide which to bring. "Well, uncle's always been strict. But he can be a real push over sometimes." Draco responded, not quite used to her rhetorical questions yet.<p>

"_Pride and Prejudice. Definitely Pride and Prejudice_. I've noticed." She muttered the first part, placing a well-worn book into her bag before commenting on Draco's answer. "I was actually wondering something Draco." She looked up and caught her best friend's eyes, "How much do you know about my mother?" She asked, earning a shrug from the boy. "Very little. I'm the same age as you, after all. I never met her. All I know is she was an 'insufferable know-it-all' who loved books."

Hermione chuckled and packed up a few last pairs of socks. "Well, now I know where I get those traits from." She wasn't sure how to feel about the information, exactly. Obviously that was the same wording Draco had heard being used about her mother, and he'd most likely heard it from her father. Didn't her parent's love each other?

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><p>The train was far from packed, as she and Draco boarded, being seen off by her father. The two were surprised (although Hermione less so than Draco,) when the headmaster himself appeared in their chosen compartment. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. May I solicit a private moment with Miss Granger?" The old wizard posed this as a question, but there was little doubt in either of the students that it was more of a command. The very moment Draco was gone, Dumbledore's smile turned grim. "I am sure you're aware by now that Severus has confirmed that your elder sister's boyfriend is indeed a death eater."<p>

Hermione's jaw fell open and then quickly flew shut. She was not aware of this. Her father had told her it was nothing to worry about and he'd been wrong. He'd _lied_ to her. "As a matter of fact, Professor, I did not know." She ground out bitterly. "Ah, well, now you do. And you should be made aware that your muggle family is to go into hiding immediately. You will be unable to return to them for the holidays." She didn't respond, her eyes glazed and unfocused, staring blankly out the window. "Where will I go?" She rasped out once her voice returned, only to be met by a sad chuckle. "You will be living with your grandmother." "But I haven't got a grandmother." The headmaster sighed and handed her a piece of folded parchment, "Yes you have." And then he was gone, and she was alone. Wondering what she had ever done in a past life to deserve this.

When Draco returned to the compartment he found her crying. "Hey, 'Mione! Don't do that!" He reached up and pulled something from his own bag and held it out for her. She offered a pathetic smile and accepted the chocolate frog. "I'm never going to see them again." She whispered sadly, rolling over to face away from her friend for the rest of the journey. She didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her slightly. "Wake up Hermione. We're back in Hogsmead."

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><p>And this is chapter five! Ta-da! What a twist, eh? But don't worry. It's not the end of her muggle family, I rather like them too much, and besides, I've still never named the five year old. But that won't be til A Girl Named Hermionr Granger: Year Two, so don't get your hopes up too much. Also, the grandmother should surprise you! Because I had originally thought that maybe it should McGonagall, but that was just too odd. Infact, I may change my mind even a third time, depending how I continue on with the next story. We'll see.<p> 


	6. Damage Of A Forged Letter

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Six: Damage of a forged letter

Disclaimer: you know it :P

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><p>Thankfully being back at school had left Hermione with plenty of distractions, including scolding Harry for having been wandering the school after curfew three nights in a row. Homework also doubled as classes began and Hermione took it upon herself to go over all of Harry and Ron's assignments (which they never questioned, thinking that she was just growing more fond of them,) to distract her brain from the fact that her own grandmother had been under her nose for three months, and never said a thing.<p>

All in all the first month back had been awful, with the small exception of the evening Neville had hobbled into the common room, and their resulting pep talk for him found them everything they had needed to know about Nicholas Flamel. As the second quidditch match drew ever nearer, Hermione was surprised to hear (from Harry, who had looked positively green at the news) that her father had decided to referee the match. In her fit of jealousy (fearing that he'd decided Harry was much more worth his attention than his own daughter,) she purposefully left several blundering mistakes all over Harry's latest potions essay. She began to regret it immediately after the game had begun however.

What had made matters worse was the taunting visit that Draco had paid her and Ron in the stands during the quidditch game. He drawled on about how little he thought of Harry, Ron's family and Neville (thankfully leaving her out of his bullying the way he always had so far,) and had started a fist fight with the easy to anger red head. During the scuffle, Harry caught the snitch and the stands erupted in applause. Hermione even found herself beginning to believe that her father might just have been planning something evil as she watched him spit on the field in anger.

As dinner was ending that night, Hermione and Ron were trying to find Harry, an awkward silence settling between them. Despite Ron having had his part in saving her life on Halloween, Hermione had never quite forgiven him for being so mean to her before. She sighed in relief as Harry bolted in the front doors, and dragged the two of them into the closest empty classroom. "So, we were right, it is the Sorcerer's stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it." And as he ranted on about what he'd heard and the conclusions he'd drawn, Hermione felt hollow. Her father really was evil. She'd spent so much time trying to defend him, and she'd been wrong to do so. She snapped out of her empty trance and gauntly asked, "So the stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" "It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Ron said in answer to her conclusion.

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><p>Hermione quickly lost interest in the state of 'disaster-waiting' in which Harry and Ron were so fully wrapped, as the teachers began to announce their exams. There was still ten weeks left to go, but she was eager to study and think of anything aside from her father. Or her grandmother. She drew up complicated study schedules (making copies for all of her friends,) and colour coded her notes to ensure she could find everything. Homework was doubled (again) in every class and left all the students working hard through Easter holidays. Hermione was un-grounded by now, although sometimes she thought her father might like to ground her again, for ignoring his orders in class (at least when it came to assisting Neville so he didn't poison them all with fumes.)<p>

On one particularly nice day, in which Hermione had literally dragged Harry and Ron to the library, the three Gryffindor's were surprised to find Hagrid in the stacks of books, hiding something behind his back. After a very rushed inquisition, in which Hermione saw yet again the lack of subtlety possessed by the boys, they were invited down to his hut latter on that evening. As soon as he was out of sight, Ron (ever nosy) went to find out what kind of books the gamekeeper had been looking up. "Dragons!" He whispered, "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon species of Great Britain and Ireland; from egg to inferno, a dragon keeper's guide."

Harry didn't seem phased in the slightest, "Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him." This of course sent Ron off into a spiel about how it was against the law to own dragons, which Hermione tuned out. She knew the groundskeeper was much too innocent to have found a way to steal a dragon's egg, but she had a sneaking suspicion that they were going to find one in his hut later. She was, for the first time, disappointed to be right.

As soon as they had knocked on the door to Hagrid's hut they had been ushered inside, only to find the hut hot beyond belief. There was a massive roaring fire in the fireplace, with a large black egg sitting in it. The giant man offered them, tea and sandwiches as they took various seats in the large-but-still-small house. "So, yeh wanted ter ask me somethin'?" Harry took the initiative (which was a term Hermione was beginning to associate with tactlessness on his part,) "Yes. We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the sorcerer's stone apart from Fluffy." Hagrid's frown at the blunt question was almost amusing to Hermione. He really ought to have expected that one.

"O' course I can't. Number one, I don't know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn't tell yeh if I could. That stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even knew about Fluffy." Hermione bit back a scathing remark about how tweedle dee and tweedle dum had almost caused her to be eaten by the giant dog because they were prats that couldn't sense a trap for the life of them, but refrained. "Oh, come on, Hagrid," She said soothingly to the groundskeeper, deciding that if they were to get any information at all they would need to butter him up first, "You might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here." She watched his beard twitch the way it did when he smiled and smirked inwardly. "We only wondered who had done the guarding really. We just wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Harry and Ron were beaming at Hermione as Hagrid became flustered, (finally they realized her brilliance,) "Well, I don' s'ppose it could hurt ter tell yeh that...let's see...he borrowed Fluffy from me...then some o' the teachers did enchantments...Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall," He ticked off the names on his fingers, and no one noticed when Hermione twitched slightly, "Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did somethin' o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape, Her-" He quickly stopped speaking as he noticed the dark look on her face. He'd almost forgotten, no one was supposed to know Hermione was Snape's daughter. "Snape?" Luckily both boys hated Snape too much to notice the slip up.

What followed was a five minute argument about how Snape was a Professor, and not evil, and how Harry and Ron still thought he was up to no good. "You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you Hagrid?" Harry's anxious voice drew her focus back to the conversation. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?" "Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore." Hagrid replied proudly. "Well that's something," Harry muttered this low enough so Hagrid couldn't hear it, "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling." "Can't Harry, sorry." Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry and Ron followed the grounds keeper's gaze to the fire pit. Finally the boys noticed.

What followed was a very amusing conversation, wherein they learned that Hagrid had won the dragon's egg in a pub the night before, and he'd been reading on how to take care of it once it was hatched. He even boldly informed them which species of dragon it was (a Norwegian Ridge back,) looking very pleased with himself. Hermione felt it her duty to do what she did next and point out that "Hagrid, you live in a wooden house." Although the giant man wasn't listening at all, in fact he was humming to himself.

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><p>Hermione scowled as she sat at her usual desk in the potion's classroom, waiting for her father to show up. She'd received an owl during dinner that evening, requesting her presence in the dank classroom (presumably from her father, none of her post was ever signed.)<p>

She fought the nagging feeling that she hadn't quite recognized the writing, (Draco's was messy, her father's was small and cramped, Dumbledore's was big and loopy,) but it looked a decent amount like her father's. She heard the approaching footsteps and was surprised to find Draco and her father both in the door way, with Quirrell close behind. She registered the shock on their faces and became concerned. Why on earth should her father or Draco both be surprised? The letter had to be from one of them.

Severus had felt uneasy leaving dinner that night, as he was due to speak with Quirrell over Draco's DADA marks (they were abominably low,) and the fear was only further cemented as they walked into the potions lab and found his daughter sitting in her usual chair. He had not sent her any post this week, and with just a glance to his godson, he could tell that she was not here on Draco's request either.

Quirrell flashed Hermione a smirk that looked nearly as sinister as her father's, but it was gone before she was sure she had even seen it. "W-w-w-well h-hello m-m-miss Granger." He stuttered, offering an awkward wave, to which her father narrowed his eyes at. The potions master was quite sure what was going on now. Quirrell had been snooping around to find his daughter.

"Ah, miss Granger. How good that you showed up. I will need you to tutor mister Malfoy." With any luck, Snape thought, he could convince his daughter he had summoned her. And not Quirrell. The last thing he needed was for her to run off and tell those Gryffindor twits anything to convince them to drag her out of bed in the middle of the night again.

Hermione fought the urge to raise her eyebrow at her father, surely he didn't expect her to believe that was what this was about, did he? Her dark eyes locked onto his, and she nodded. She realized something was going on, and if he wanted to underestimate her perception, who was she to clue him in? "Of course professor. Shall we work out a schedule now?"

Draco was feeling rather left out, at the moment, it seemed like Snape had discovered something, and was trying to hide it. But Hermione knew. He could see the cunning gleam in her eyes, and she was pretending she didn't know it. Even Quirrell was behaving oddly. So what the hell had everyone else pieced together that he was missing?

"Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings until exams. Two hours an evening." Snape's voice cut the heavy silence once more. Quirrell stuttered that it should be sufficient for Draco to catch up and pass, and before Hermione knew what was happening she and Draco were shoved into the hallway, and the door was slammed shut behind them.

"Uh...let's go to the library shall we?" She didn't respond as Draco began dragging her away from the Potions class room; and studying was furthest from his mind. He didn't like being in the dark, and he wasn't letting her out of his sights until he knew whatever it was she knew. They had made it all the way to the library before they bumped into anyone, and Hermione was glad for the distraction as Harry and Ron began their usual tirade against Malfoy.

"What are you doing with Hermione, you slimy git!" Ron shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. Draco rolled his eyes and almost dropped her wrist from his grip, but stopped halfway when she shot him a glare. "Ronald, lower your voice this instant!" She hissed, and the red head shut his mouth with a snap. Harry looked as though he were about to comment, but her glare stopped him before he could even form the words. "I have just been asked to tutor D-Malfoy in defense against the dark arts for the finals. So you two will be on your own for Monday, Wednesday and Friday as far as studying goes." She bit her tongue, hoping that the two wouldn't notice her almost-slip-up with Draco's name.

"Well why should you tutor the Slytherin bugger?" Ron snapped, as he was prone to doing. Hermione rolled her eyes at her Gryffindor friend and sighed. "I'm top of the class for marks. That's why. I'll bet even Harry knew that." Harry wisely chose to nod at this moment, and pretend that he had already made the connection, so as to avoid being lectured like Ron was.

Draco tightened his grip on her arm slightly, trying to draw her attention away from the buffoons, and was promptly jabbed in the ribs by her finger. "Now you two bugger off, I want to get this done with, and you'll only get in my way. Go on, buzz off!" She shooed the dynamic duo off with her free hand and allowed herself to be pulled into the library by an irate Slytherin.

"You didn't have to jab me!" He protested, finally dropping her wrist (although, rather reluctantly,) as they made their way to a table in the back corner. She chuckled at his whiney tone and plopped down on a hard wooden chair. "You didn't have to squeeze so hard. I'll probably bruise you know. And besides, that's the wrist I hurt at Christmas you dummy." She pulled out their text book, The Dark Forces: A guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trible, and flipped it open. "So how far are you in your course work? Do you have notes?" She looked up and saw him squirming slightly in his chair. "Sorry." His voice was quiet, so quiet she barely heard him, but it made her smile.

"Forget it. Now where are you with DADA?" She had a suspicion that this may have been a setup. In all her correspondence with Draco he'd never mentioned falling behind, and his essays were usually nearly as long as her own. How could he be so far behind that he needed tutoring? Draco shifted and pulled out his stack of notes, "I'm not behind. I've no idea what's going on with Quirrell, he must have mixed my grades with Crabbe's." This was not the conversation he wanted to be having. He already knew this was a mix up, what he wanted to know was what had been going on in the classroom.

"I thought so. Something's not right. The note I got today was a mixture of your handwriting and father's. You didn't send it did you? Because I could tell by his surprise that Snape didn't send it." She began drumming her fingers on her desk impatiently, and when he shook his head in response to her rhetorical question, she groaned in frustration. "This is bad. I think that the letter was sent by someone who had screened my mail, and wanted to connect me to something, or someone." She cast around a suspicious look and leaned in closer to Draco, so she could whisper. "I think it's Quirrell. Something's off about that man. I think he's one of those people father doesn't want knowing about me."

Draco recoiled and gave her a reproachful look, "You think Quirrell is a death eater? Quirrell? The stuttering wonder of the world? He's more pathetic than Longbottom!" Hermione pursed her lips as he continued, the malicious tone he reserved for Harry and Ron slipping into his drawl. Without warning she stood up and grabbed her things, "Why does everyone think he's so innocent! Because he doesn't look the part he can't be devious? If I were a death eater in hiding I'd be trying to make myself as pathetic as possible too you know. You're just like Harry and Ron. They automatically think it's Snape who's trying to steal the stone, and Quirrell's trying to stop him. I don't buy it for a second." She turned on her heel and left the library before the stunned boy could respond, tears brimming in her eyes.

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><p>And that's chapter six! I've always thought Hermione was plenty smart enough to figure it out! And with the 'obvious' choice removed, she'd have to figure it out! Hehehe, although...prepare for a little bit of jerk-Draco. But never fear, the forest is a wonderful place for sonversations no one should hear (excepting, of course, the one Snape and Quirrell had, which Harry over heard (skipped that bit,) it didn't fare so well in the forest...<p>

Anywho...


	7. Allergic To The Post

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Seven: Allergic to the post

Disclaimer: yeah, yeah. You know it.

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><p>Breakfast was unusually quiet for a while at the Gryffindor table. The weather outside was warming up nicely, but things were still rather cold and tense between Hermione and the dynamic duo, and all of her morning post did not seem to be helping, until she opened an envelope exactly two weeks after their fight (in which time she had not made up with Draco either,) and immediately broke out in hives. With a shriek she threw the letter away from herself, and it landed on Ron's plate. "Ew, who's got the horseradish?" He gagged, tossing the letter back at her.<p>

Hermione threw herself away from the table and lunged for her bag. She needed her epi-pen. She was gasping for breath by the time she had dug it out and pulled off the cap, and her vision was blurring horribly. She swung her arm down, but missed her leg with the epi-pen.

Harry and Ron, along with almost every student in the great hall, were watching as she kept trying to jab herself, and continued to miss. As she began to go purple in the face Harry finally clued in to what was happening. She was having an allergic reaction. He leapt across the table and pulled the epi pen out of her hand and jammed it into her thigh, as he remembered having seen a teacher done once in primary school.

The hives were losing their irritated colour as a teacher ran into the hall. Harry and Ron looked up to see Neville gasping for air with professor Snape hot on his tail. Snape's eyes fell on Hermione's prone form and he had to force himself to remain impassive. "What's happened here Potter?" He hoped that none of the students could hear the edge in his voice as he looked from the needle in Harry's hand, to his unconscious daughter. "I don't know sir, she opened her letter and then the next thing I knew she was on the ground, trying to jab herself with this." Harry was praying very hard that he would not lose house points, as he had just saved her life, and he offered the empty epi-pen to the potions master.

Snape swallowed hard and bent down to pick her up, barely registering the response that Harry had given him until he was upright again. "What letter Potter?" He fixed a glare on the dark haired boy to avoid looking at Hermione's flushed face, and followed the boy's gaze back to the table. "I am taking her to the hospital wing. You will follow and bring the letter. Madam Pomfrey will need to see it." He stalked briskly out of the great hall, being careful not to jostle the body in his arms too much, without waiting for a response.

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><p>Professor Dumbledore was pacing around the infirmary, the contents of the letter vivid in his mind. Severus had sent for him in a panic, although he was quite sure that the messenger, one Harry James Potter, was clueless as to that fact. The contents of the letter had been very worrisome, but perhaps the worst thing was that whomever had written the letter, had known of Hermione's allergy. They had tried everything to force the letter to show whom had written it, but had found nothing.<p>

Several hours past curfew, Hermione awoke in the dark infirmary, feeling dreadful. "Hello?" She called out in a raspy voice, feeling too weak to move, hoping that the school healer would be awake. She saw something tall shuffle in a dark corner of the room, and tried to push herself into a sitting position. "Who's there?"

There was an angry hiss and a shadow covered in shimmering silver lunged out at her, causing her to scream. Suddenly the torches near her bed lit up and she could hear multiple foot steps running in her direction. By the time they reached her bedside, the shadow was gone, and the hissing had stopped. "What's happened?" Snape was the first to speak, looking deep into his daughters eyes. Hermione swallowed, attempting to moisten her throat, "There was a shadow man. He leapt at me and I screamed, and then he was gone."

Madam Pomfrey waved her wand and a cup of cool water appeared on the bedside table, "Drink up dear. Your throat is much too dry." The brunette complied and drained the goblet. "There was...something silvery on the shadow man. It looked almost like blood." Her voice came much stronger now, and she recalled what had happened this morning. The letter, drenched in horseradish juices, her vision blurring as she tried to use her epi-pen, and then nothing. "Who jabbed me with my epi-pen?"

Snape was brought out of his thoughts by the question and he waved his hand dismissively, before muttering "Potter." Like it was a vile word. The potions master threw a look over his shoulder at the headmaster, as Dumbledore chose the moment to make himself known and speak up. "A task for which twenty points was awarded to Gryffindor, for jumping to the aide of a friend in need." She nodded silently, it made sense that Harry would have been the first to figure it out, he was the only other one whom had been raised as a muggle, so he would be the only one who could have possibly known. "From now on, we will be checking all your post." She scrunched up her face at this, but had long since resigned herself to this being the inevitable fate. Someone who shouldn't knew that she was Snape's daughter, and that someone had tried to kill her. There would be no privacy. "Yes professor."

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><p>The following morning Hermione arrived at breakfast a few minutes late and was greeted by her two worried knuckle headed companions. "You okay?" Harry asked as she began playing with her food, suddenly not so hungry though she had not eaten since the previous morning. "Yeah, you look down in the dumps 'Mione." Ron commented through a mouthful of hash browns and eggs. "I'm ok. Thank you Harry, for figuring out the epi-pen. I don't think I'd have made it if you hadn't done what you did." She had been told not to give them any details about the letter, although Dumbldore had read the contents to her (after her father had stormed out of the infirmary, barking mad that she was being told,) and she wasn't sure she'd want to tell them anyway. Telling them about the letter would end in the same fight she'd had with Draco in the library two weeks before, about Quirrell.<p>

Harry blushed and was about to reply when Hedwig showed up with a piece of parchment in her beak. The dark haired boy quickly opened it, thankful for a distraction from the awkward conversation, and read out in a hurried whisper "_It's hatching_." "Brilliant! Let's go right down!" Ron said excitedly, swallowing his mouthful of food so he could grin without spilling his breakfast. Hermione rolled her eyes, "Absolutely not. We've got lessons!" "Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

The brunette sighed and stood from her seat as the first bell of the morning echoed through the hall, "We've got lessons, we'll get in trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing-" She was cut off as Harry elbowed her in the ribs and whispered "Shut up!" She looked around and saw, to her displeasure, that Malfoy was eavesdropping on their conversation. The little prat had obviously been following them, she knew he was still sore about her yelling at him in the library.

By the time Herbology had ended, Hermione was extremely curious about the hatching egg and consented to go and take a look before lunch to see if it had hatched yet; not that she could have kept the two boys away. They were greeted by Hagrid at the edge of the forest, and the giant man was flushed and excited as he ushered them into his hut, "It's nearly out." The egg was laying in the middle of the table, covered in deep cracks, and it was wiggling around, making a clicking noise. Forgetting any pretense of discipline, she joined the boys in drawing their chairs up close to the table, watching in awe as the egg split open with a scraping noise.

The baby dragon flopped onto the table, its spiny wings were much bigger than its body, and its long snout with wide nostrils were almost endearing in way, she thought. The tiny, stubby horns, and big bright orange eyes, were rather adorable. She'd been terrified that the dragon would be this hideous beast, spewing forth mountains of flames, but it was adorable. She fought back a giggle as it sneezed some sparks, and suddenly she knew exactly what it was about Dragons that Hagrid loved so much. "Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured, reaching out to pet it. Hermione was about to agree as it snapped at his fingers, but she caught herself. "Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and pried them away from the baby dragon, "Hagrid, how fast do Norwegian Ridge backs grow, exactly?" Before the groundskeeper could answer they all heard a shuffle and saw a flash of blonde hair in the cabin's window. "Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains - it's a kid, he's runnin' back up ter the school." Harry bolted to the door to look, but Hermione knew it was Malfoy who'd been spying before he even left his seat.

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><p>Hermione was very nervous for the next week, she had noticed the smile lurking on the Slytherin's face since the day Norbert had hatched, and it creeped her out as much as it did Harry and Ron. The three of them spent most of their spare time in Hagrid's hut; although the boys had more time than she did, trying to reason with him that baby Norbert couldn't stay. He had already grown three times in length, and he needed constant care so Hagrid hadn't been able to do his duties at all that week. In a flash of brilliance that was fairly rare, Harry had managed to convince Hagrid that Ron's older brother Charlie (a dragon keeper in Romania,) might be able to take Norbert.<p>

The next week seemed to drag on, but by Wednesday they had received the reply from Charlie, and not a moment too soon as Norbert had bitten Ron. The good news was that he had agreed to take Norbert, however it wouldn't be possible until the weekend, and they would have to smuggle Norbert up to the tallest tower.

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><p>Saturday night approached fast, with a looming threat that Malfoy had gone to taunt Ron in the infirmary and taken the textbook in which Ron had been keeping Charlie's letter. They had been unable to change the plans, and now Harry and Hermione were in Hagrid's hut, with Harry's invisibility cloak, waiting for Hagrid to finish saying goodbye. "Hagrid, we've got to go, it's a long trek." Harry was trying to hurry along the process, and with great patience on their part, they were finally led out the front door of the cabin, hidden beneath the invisibility cloak with the caged dragon between them.<p>

Hermione could feel her heart beating a mile a minute as they went up marble steps, and through deserted corridors, the shortcuts felt like they lengthened the trip, and she was sure she would faint from the stress before they even reached the tower. All of a sudden there was a movement up ahead, and they froze. Hermione's eyes fell immediately onto the two figures in the hallway ahead of them. McGonagall had Malfoy by the ear (at which she heard Harry breath out mockingly, a smirk gracing his lips.) They waited as she deducted twenty points and gave him detention, both Gryffindors were feeling a little smug as they were left alone to continue their journey.

When they reached the top of the tower they threw off the invisibility cloak and set down the crate. Harry began laughing, although he was still trying to be quiet, and Hermione did a little jig. It served the Slytherin jerk right to get a detention for being a spying prat. Within ten minutes they were joined by Charlie's friends. They were some of the cheeriest people she had ever seen in the wizarding world so far, except perhaps the twins, and they had Norbert buckled into a harness and were gone quickly. She knew it was for the best, and she knew that Harry was very happy at the moment, but she felt a little sad. Seeing Norbert go, knowing how Hagrid had loved him, reminded her of her own circumstances. Her own family, were gone from her, gone far away to be hidden from those who would hurt them. She wished they could have kept the baby dragon.

The two made their way down the spiral staircase, forgetting all about the invisibility cloak that had been abandoned on the floor of the tower. As they reached the bottom step Hermione was drawn from her thoughts by Harry's hand gripping her hand hard. Filch was standing there, a flickering lantern in one hand, and a twisted smirk on his lips. "Well, well, well, we are in trouble." He whispered, sick amusement twisting in his voice as he grabbed Harry by the scruff of his sweater and hauled them off towards professor McGonagall's office.

They sat in front of the large stately desk that belonged to McGonagall, both too terrified to speak. Harry forever worried he might be expelled and sent back to hell with his aunt and uncle; Hermione desperately hoping her father would not be summoned. There was no way around this incident, not like with the troll, there was no excuse they could give. A boy and a girl, alone in the middle of the night, up the tallest astronomy tower, both a little flushed from having carried a heavy dragon up those steps. Even though they were only eleven, it was painfully obvious what the grown ups were going to think they'd been doing.

The dreadful silence was broken as professor McGonagall entered her office with Neville Longbottom trailing behind her. The air was tense as their transfiguration teacher, and head of house, accused them of attempting a nasty prank that had gotten a friend in trouble as well. Hermione couldn't bring herself to look up from her slippers as tears burned at her eyes. She was ever so thankful that they were not being accused of doing naughty things in the tower, but for this she would be grounded until her next birthday. She barely managed to tune her thoughts back into focus as they were dismissed, Gryffindor down a hundred and fifty points, and each with a detention to be served.

As they parted ways in the common room to head up for bed, Hermione lagged behind and sat in front of the fire. She looked deeply into the flames and let the tears spill down her face. If only they had never thought to get rid of Norbert, or Hagrid had never gotten the egg. If only she had never befriended Harry and Ron, if only she hadn't fought with Draco. If only she had just been sorted into Hufflepuff and left to obscurity, then maybe, just maybe, none of this would have happened. If only her mother had died before giving birth. If she had never been born, her muggle family would have never been sent into hiding, and she would never have had to become a disappointment to four parents (for surely her mother was watching her from beyond, and was horrified at what her only child had become.) As the fire began to wither away and die, she stood numbly and made her way up to her bed.

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><p>The following morning was a nightmare. Neither Harry nor Neville would catch her eye at breakfast, and before the meal was even finished the whole of Gryffindor table was glaring between the three of them. She spent the whole day with her head down, and her hands placed firmly in her lap. She took no notes, and answered no questions, trying her best to vanish. It stayed this way all week. Every time she passed a Gryffindor in the halls, she was tripped and sent sprawling to the floor, with snide, dirty, remarks being flung at her (though she had no clue what '<em>mudblood<em>' meant.)

She supposed that even more painful than the way she was being treated by her own house, and the cheers from the Slytherin's, was the fact that she was without anyone to turn to. Ron was beside Harry at all times, easing the pressure for the dark haired, bespectacled boy, but he seemed to somewhat blame her. Neville was, too, being bothered less and less by everyone. She skipped several classes over the duration of the week, including both potions lessons. She didn't want to speak to her father, or be jeered at by people she had thought friends.

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><p>And that's chapter seven. It's a few hundred words shorter than most previous ones, however, what it lacks, is made up for later.<p>

Also, I'm sure you'll be dissapointed to know Hermione's grandmother doesn't make much of an appearance for a while yet. In fact, if I hadn't already mentioned her, she wouldn't exist. However I do not want to go and change facts in previous chapters now, and regret it later when I've again decided to include her.


	8. Silent Trees And Knowing Stars

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Eight: Silent Trees And Knowing Stars

Disclaimer: You'd see a lot more Dramione if it belonged to me

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><p>As the exams drew nearer Ron seemed to forgive Hermione in favour of having her to help him study. They spent many days in the library, and she was glad that for the reason of exams, she was being allowed back into their circle. She was glad to have people to speak to again. It was on a sunny Friday that she was sitting in the library, quizing Ron on astronomy, when Harry practically jogged over to their table. He had been heading back to Gryffindor tower when he had stumbled upon Quirrell rambling in an empty classroom. "He's told Snape everything. We have to do something!" He whispered urgently, drawing Ron's attention away from studying. Hermione sighed and fought the urge to drop her head onto her notes in exasperation, "Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago Harry. If we try anything ourselves, we'll be thrown out for sure." She really wished that this would be enough for the boys to drop it; however she knew better. She was surprised when Harry agreed with her, even though Ron wished to poke around a bit more.<p>

The following morning Harry, Neville, and herself received messages from McGonagall to inform them that their detention would be served at eleven pm this evening. She couldn't bring herself to protest the lost studying time, for she didn't really care. Somehow she had made it this long without being grounded by her harshly protective father, and in order to keep that good karma coming she was more than willing to take this punishment silently. The day drug on and on, until finally Harry and Neville joined her in the common room and they made their way down to the entrance hall, where Filch was waiting with Malfoy.

Hermione tried desperately to school her features, not wanting her former best friend to know how much it bothered her that they had never made up. "Follow me." Filch's voice made her shudder as the gnarled janitor led them outside of the castle and down to Hagrid's hut. He leered at them the whole time, taunting them for having broken school rules, threatening vastly painful tortures in place of future detentions he could dish out. She didn't know whether or not she should be relieved as they saw Hagrid standing out front of his cabin, fang by his side, and a crossbow in his hands.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well think again, boy-" Harry had indeed been looking hopeful when he had spotted Hagrid, "it's into the forest you're going, and I'm much mistaken if you'll come out in one piece." Hermione wasn't very surprised at this, but she heard horrified gasps from both Neville and Malfoy at the news. "The forest?" She could almost hear the fear in his drawling voice as the Slytherin gaped at Filch. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there, werewolves, I heard." At this Neville clutched onto Harry's robes and Hermione rolled her eyes. By the time Filch had finished his responding taunt Hagrid was right in front of them.

"I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All righ' Harry, Hermione?" Hagrids booming voice was very soothing as he ushered Filch away, and began to lecture Malfoy, whom had begun trying to talk his way out of the detention. Hermione couldn't focus on their words and stared off into the forest, until she saw a shadow dart from one tree to another. It looked the same as the one that had tried to attack her in the infirmary, but it was gone before she was even sure she'd even seen it. "Right then, now listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight." She forced herself to focus on the groundskeeper as he led them closer to the looming forest. "An' I don' want no one takin' risks." He raised his lamp up high and pointed down at the winding forest floor, "Look there. See that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff?"

Hermione looked carefully at it and almost gasped. That was the same substance which had covered the shadow man in the infirmary. "That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery." At this she did gasp. Perhaps this was why she hadn't been grounded, her father thought this torture enough. Malfoy's voice broke her thoughts as she stared, transfixed by the blood. "What if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?"

Hagrid almost smiled at that, "There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang." He motioned to the blood hound beside him, dripping massive amounts of drool on the ground. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least." "I want Fang." Malfoy cut in quickly, making Hermione roll her eyes. He only wanted the dog because it had big teeth, and she knew it.

Hagrid warned him that the dog was a coward and decided to split them up, Harry and herself with Hagrid, and Neville and Malfoy with Fang. With a last comment for them to send up green sparks if they found the unicorn, and red if they got into any trouble, they separated down the trail. Neville, Malfoy and Fang going right, while she followed Hagrid and Harry to the left. They walked in silence for a long time before Harry finally asked what was on his mind. "Could it be a werewolf?" The groundskeeper shook his head and adjusted the crossbow in his arms, "Not fast enough. It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

Hermione kept to herself behind them, until she found Harry and herself being shoved behind a towering oak tree. She watched in fascination as Hagrid loaded an arrow into the crossbow, and then he stopped moving. Faintly they could hear the sound of something slithering on the dead leaves upon the ground. Almost as soon as it had come, the sound was gone and Hagrid began to mutter to himself. "I knew it. There's summat in here that shouldn't be. That wasn' no werewolf, and it wasn' no unicron neither."

They continued on in silence until they reached a clearing, in which something was definitely moving about. "Show yerself! I'm armed!" Hagrid bellowed out suddenly, causing both Harry and Hermione to jump slightly. The two students watched in fascination as a creature stepped into the moon light, from the waist up he was a man with vibrant red hair that put Ron's to shame, and from the waist down he was a chestnut horse, with a long swishing tail the same colour as his hair. "Oh, it's you Ronan." Hagrid relaxed instantly and dropped the crossbow to his side, a smile crinkling his face beneath his big bushy beard. "How are yeh?"

The centaur shook the hand that Hagrid offered to him, "Good evening to you Hagrid. Were you going to shoot me?" The deep rumbling of Ronan's voice made Hermione blush as it fell over them all. She was pretty sure, that if it was possible, she had just fallen in love with Ronan. "Can't be too careful." Hagrid explained, and she was broken free from the trance the centaur's voice had placed her in. "There's summat loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur." Hermione fought to find her voice and murmured quietly, "We'd noticed." Finding it hard to take her eyes off Ronan.

"Good evening," Ronan's voice enveloped her senses again and she began to feel faint, "Students are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?" Harry seemed to be as lost for words as she was, as he tried to answer but stuttered, "Erm..." "A bit." Hermione was rather proud that she had managed to string the two words together, but she felt rather embarrassed that she had sounded rather dim. "A bit. Well, that's something." He whipped back his head to look up at the stars, and she watched his red hair sway in the wind. "Mars is bright tonight."

Hagrid made a face, "Yeah," he glanced up as well, "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan." Hermione bit her lip as the centaur sighed, she was pretty glad they'd run into him too, although she was thinking it for other reasons. "There's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't remove his gaze from the stars, and for a few moments, Harry and Hermione weren't sure he was even going to answer. "Always the innocent are the first victims. So it has been for ages past, so it is now." Hagrid grew impatient with the response and repeated his question. "Mars is bright tonight. Unusually bright." Hermione was mystified by the deep words, but Hagrid was losing his patience. "Anythin' closer ter home?" His voice gruff and impatient, and Hermione felt herself wishing he wouldn't speak, because all she wanted was to hear Ronan's voice forever, or nothing at all. It was silent for a while before the centaur deigned to answer. "The forest hides many secrets."

The bushes suddenly rustled behind Ronan and Hagrid lifted his bow again, only to lower it as a black haired, wild-looking, centaur stepped into the clearing. "Hullo Bane, all righ'?" The second the centaur opened his mouth to respond, Hermione was swept away as she had been with Ronan. "Good evening Hagrid. I hope you are well." His voice was so velvety smooth she was sure it put the finest silks to shame. Her heart hammered in her chest as Hagrid repeated his earlier question to Bane, and he received the same answers that Ronan had given. The groundskeeper was now too impatient with the centaur's and ushered Hermione and Harry out of the clearing and back onto the trail. Once they were well out of sight of the clearing, the giant man rolled his eyes, "Never try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers."

They walked further into the forest, none of them saying a word until Hermione looked up and gasped. She grabbed onto Hagrid's arm suddenly, "Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!" "You two wait here!" Hagrid was gone in a flash and Hermione found herself filled with dread. What if Hagrid got there too late? What if Draco was hurt, or dead? What if she never had the chance to make up with him? After what felt like hours, Hagrid returned looking furious, with Neville and Draco behind him. "Scarin' yer fellow classmate, foolin' 'round in the forest." Hermione felt anger bubble up inside of her, here she had been worried something had gotten her Slytherin friend, and he'd been goofing off, scaring Neville.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anything now." Hagrid said with a scowl, "Right, we'll change groups. Neville, you stay here with me an' Hermione, and Harry you'll go with Malfoy an' Fang." Soon Harry, Malfoy and Fang were gone back in the direction that Hagrid had run, and Hermione was stuck with Neville, whom had gripped her robes in fear. It was a long time before anything else happened, they had not run into anymore centaurs (to Hermione's disappointment,) and they had not found the unicorn. From time to time, she was sure she saw a shadow lurking just out of the reach of the lantern, but she decided not to say anything.

Then, suddenly, there was screaming that started faint, and grew constantly louder until Malfoy crashed into their group and threw himself behind Hermione. "What the-" The blonde Slytherin gulped and began to explain that he and Harry had stumbled into a clearing and been attacked by a cloaked figure, and he had run. Hagrid was bounding off in the direction Malfoy had come from, Neville hot on his tail so as to not be left with Malfoy again. Hermione hesitated to follow, deciding that this might just be a good time to speak with Draco. She turned to face the pale boy and shuffled her feet slightly. "Look, Draco, I'm sorry I yelled at you in the library."

Draco stared at her for a moment, unblinking, trying to remember just what she was apologizing for. "Oh." He said, as he finally remembered, "It's ok. I'm sorry I was a jerk." He had been pretty miserable since then himself. As soon as she'd stormed out of the library he'd wanted to run after her and apologize, but he'd been unable to bring himself to do it. He wasn't one to apologize for his actions, and he wasn't used to having to. "Are we still friends?" She asked hopefully, her eyes locked onto her feet, in case he should say no and make her cry. "Of course." He wrapped his arms around her awkwardly and she responded enthusiastically, placing a kiss on his cheek as he pulled away. She was gone before he even registered what had happened.

Harry and Hermione weren't surprised to find Ron asleep in the common room when they finally got back, and as soon as Neville had scurried off to his bed, Harry shook the red head awake. "Ron! Wait til you guys hear this." He ushered them to lean in closer and began to tell them about what had happened in the forest. "Snape wants the stone for Voldemort." The accusation was almost more than Hermione could take, but as Harry continued with his ranting, Ron tried to interrupt him by nearly shouting "Don't say that name!"

Hermione tuned out of the conversation for a moment as Harry ignored Ron's request, trying to check her temper before she spoke, and she tuned back in as Harry mentioned Bane. "Harry," She started nervously, "everyone says Dumbledore's the only one you-know-who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, you-know-who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune telling to me." She hated to say it, because she found herself to be very fond of the centaurs, "And professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic." The sun was slowly beginning to float in through the windows and they decided to call it a night.

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><p>Chapter eight! Again...shorter than I had thought it was. You'll notice that this part is the most similar to sorcerer's stone so far, but look! Hermione and Draco made up! Awe init' cute? God, also, I've been dilligently working on Year Two, and oi vey, it feels like I've really dragged out summer break, but I think that'll make up for the fact that nothing much can really happen once Hermione's been petrified, you know? Of course I could go off on a tangent and have a DracoSeverus chapter...but we'll see. Also, I may end up keeping Ronan as a casual character for random appearances. I know, I know, it's Firenze in the books that is so nice to Harry, but Hermione doesn't meet him til later, now does she? And every little girl needs a star-struck crush, right?


	9. So Full Of Heart

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Nine: So Full Of Heart

Disclaimer: I own all the books, but unfortunately so does half the population of the planet, apparently, so it means nothing.

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><p>Hermione wasn't surprised the next day when Archie landed at the table during lunch, bearing some half-opened mail. She took the letters and drew her owl in for a hug, "Oh Archie, I haven't seen you in a while! You're being such a good sport about this. I promise I'll buy you some of the most delicious owl treats ever this summer!" She let go of her tawny owl and watched him fly off, hooting happily at her promise. "Hey Hermione, why is all your mail opened?" Rons voice drew her attention away from her letters and she rolled her eyes. "Professor Dumbledore has decided, as a precaution, to have all my mail checked since that letter I received that was soaked in horseradish juices. I almost died Ronald." She snipped, before pulling out her first letter and eagerly skimmed the length of it. It was from Draco, and it was full of apologies from the other Slytherins. She sighed happily and tucked it safely into an inside pocket. "Who's it from?"<p>

She shot Ron a distasteful look, "My sister." She lied without hesitation. Like hell she was going to tell him it was from most of the Slytherins in their year. She opened her second letter and found most of it blotted out with ink. It was obviously from her father, and had been edited by her grandmother. From what little she could actually read, it sounded like he had, in fact, been trying to ground her for years to come, but her grandmother appeared to have intervened and saved her that fate. At the bottom there was a small note, promising her a present should she pass all of her exams. "Well, at least I know he cares." She mumbled, fighting off a small laugh. "Who cares?"

Again, she glared at Ron and tucked away her letter. "My father. We had a fight a while ago, and he's just promised me a present if I pass all my exams." She watched Harry and Ron nod slightly, and felt dread bubble up when she saw a flash behind Harry's eyes. "Your dad, the muggle? Who sent the howler?" She cursed inwardly, "Yes. Who else would I be talking about? How many father's do you think I have Harry?" She tried to go on to her next letter, but now Ron was looking at her the same way Harry was, as if he'd just clued in. "How'd your dad send the howler? You need magic to do that." She resisted the urge to just get up and leave her friends at the table. "He must have had Dumbledore's help or something. From what I remember, someone showed up and told them about the troll incident. He wasn't happy."

"Oh." The boys finally dropped the subject and she sighed in relief. When she opened her third letter, she cried out in shock. It was from her muggle mother. Her brother Danny had been kidnapped. "No!" She grabbed the letter and ran out of the great hall in a hurry. She ran out the front doors and didn't stop until she'd reached the forest. She was too distraught to realize where she was headed, and she soon stumbled upon Ronan the centaur in a small clearing. Suddenly she was exhausted, and she fell to her knees crying.

The red haired centaur was startled at first, when she burst into the clearing, but he recognized her from the night before. "Student, Hermione Granger, wasn't it?" He slowly moved towards her, and nearly jumped out of his skin when she fell to her knees and began to cry. "Hush young foal. It's not safe for you to be in the forest at this time." He walked forward until he was in front of her and bent down, extending his hand to her.

Hermione tried to rub the tears out of her eyes as the handsome centaur offered her his hand, but she made no move to take his offer. "I-I got a l-letter from my m-mom...he's g-gone!" She let out a sob and dropped her gaze to the ground. She had never really been fond of Danny, but he was still her brother. A part of her family.

Ronan sighed and lowered himself onto the ground, his long legs folded up beneath him, "Do not cry for those who are gone, foal." He reached over and wiped a tear from her cheek, shivering at the feel of her skin. He felt he was in over his head, he wasn't much more than a child himself, in centaur years, and he knew that it was not the centaur's ways to concern themselves with the human's problems. But he could hardly leave her here alone. "I'm scared. What if it was a dark wizard who took my brother?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper, and she finally gained control of her tears.

The centaur shifted and looked up to the sky briefly, as he had the night before when Hagrid had questioned him, "Mars has been bright, these past nights. It always the innocent who suffer first, so it was, so it is." His words wrapped around her brain and she sighed bitterly. "I'm sorry I intruded in your forest, Ronan." She felt foolish now. She had run out of the school, into the dangerous forest full of creatures, and spilled her heart to a centaur. Centaurs weren't known for their love of humans in their forests. She was about to get to her feet when she felt his arms wrap around her. "The forest is often a good place to speak one's fears. With naught but the ears of nature to hear." He lifted them both to their feet before dropping his arms from around her.

"We centaurs know everything that is happening at the castle, young Snape foal." He caught her eyes and gave her a knowing look, "Though the whole tribe do not agree, I am willing to lend you company when you need it. It can be lonely here during the long summers." She gave him a weak smile, "Thank you Ronan. I guess I should go back to the castle now. I ran out of lunch and my friends must be angry with me." She gave him a small curtsey before running back in the direction she had come from. He watched her vanish through the trees and found himself wondering just how Severus Snape had managed to father a child so full of heart.

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><p>Exams were upon the school a week later, and nobody seemed to remember that they were angry with Harry, Hermione and Neville, in the Gryffindor tower. The first years were all too busy scrambling to study their notes, terrified about how difficult the exams would be, and the older students were absorbed in their own study groups. Hermione was quite thankful of this, as she desperately needed the peace between her exams. Charms had been so simple that she had laughed in relief once her exam was completed. Transfiguration had nearly been a nightmare, she had almost dropped her snuffbox as she was handing it in. And potions. Oh potions had been awful.<p>

Her father had sneered down his nose at her the whole time, and she almost messed up the ingredients of the Forgetfulness potion. He was obviously very angry that his attempt to assert fatherly control had been thwarted by her interfering grandmother. She knew that Harry was watching her closely too, he seemed put-out that she and Ron had not mentioned the sorcerer's stone in a while, in favour of studying.

By the time they'd gotten to their last exam, though, she was feeling very anxious about the stone. What would happen if whomever was after the stone waited until the students were all gone? She would be alone and her friends would hate her if they found out she had stood idly by and allowed it to fall into Voldemort's clutches. She managed to hide her anxiousness as they filed out of the classroom, rambling about werewolf codes of conduct and Elfric the Eager.

Soon they were relaxing down by the lake, enjoying the sun, and laughing at the lazy antics of the giant squid. Harry, however hard he tried to look relaxed, would twitch every few minutes, until Ron scolded him and told him to look more cheerful, "After all we have a whole week till we find out how bad we did." Harry frowned at the read head and rubbed his forehead, "I wish I knew what this means!" He shouted suddenly, all of his frustration coming out at once. Hermione rolled her eyes, "Go to the infirmary." His only response was to scathingly retort that he wasn't sick; it was a warning that Voldemort was up to something.

The boy-who-lived settled into his thoughts for a while, and Hermione thought that she was finally about to get the peace she'd longed for, until he suddenly shot up to his feet. "Where're you goin'?" Ron asked sleepily, beating Hermione to the question. "I've just thought of something." Harry said, his voice flowing urgently, "We've got to go see Hagrid, right now." And with that, he was running off, scrambling up the grassy hill towards Hagrid's hut. Hermione groaned and ran after the forever-restless dark haired boy, with Ron trailing not far behind her. "Why?" She panted as she got closer to her friend.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," Harry started, waiting until Ron caught up to continue, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have an egg in his pocket?" Hermione hated to admit it, but he was right, and she was frustrated that she hadn't thought of it earlier. "How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizarding law? Lucky they found Hagrid,don't you think, why didn't I see it before?"

They made it to Hagrid's hut in record time and found the groundskeeper lounging out front with Fang, shelling peas into a bowl. His big bushy beard crinkled with a smile as he nodded to them in greeting, "Hullo, finished your exams are yeh? Got time fer a drink?" Ron tried to accept the offer, parched from the long run on the hot day, but he was cut off by Harry before he could get a word out. "No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night when you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?" "Dunno," Hagrid replied with a shrug, "he wouldn' take his cloak off." At their stunned looks he continued with another shrug, "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Hermione watched Harry sink down into a seated position by the bowl of peas and felt her own stomach drop out. She had a feeling where this was headed, and as he responded to Harry's next question about mentioning Hogwarts, and she felt about ready to throw up as she realized that, in his drunken state, Hagrid had told someone how to get past Fluffy. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it!" He tried to cover his mistake, but she was already running back up to the castle with Harry and Ron right beside her. "We've got to go to Dumbledore." Harry said immediately, once they reached the front doors. He continued to rant on, with Ron hanging onto his every word, about what they now knew, but Hermione stopped listening. She was trying to remember if she had ever heard or read where the headmaster's office was.

Luckily they came across professor McGonagall before long, and Harry began telling her that they needed to see the headmaster, for secret reasons, (Hermione rolled her eyes at that part, and knew that even if he was in the castle, there'd be no hope of seeing him before dinner.) "Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," She said coldly, "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London." Harry lost his control at this point and revealed their knowledge of the Sorcerer's stone, and she dropped the books she'd been holding.

Hermione suddenly wished to disappear as Harry told her that they knew someone was trying to steal the stone, and she knew that McGonagall had heard Harry try to cover himself as he'd almost said 'Snape.' She was shot a sharp look by the professor and groaned inwardly, as they were told to forget everything they thought that they knew about the stone, and to go outside and enjoy the weather. As soon as she had picked up her books and left, Harry turned to his two closest friends, "It's going to be tonight." He went off on his usual rant, and Hermione looked up behind him, no longer listening to her friend, and gasped audibly. Her father had just come around the same corner McGonagall had turned at, and he was glaring at the two boys with their backs in his direction. Harry and Ron spun around to see what had captured her attention and came face to face with Snape. "You want to be more careful," Her father drawled, approaching the three of them, "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points now can it?"

Just as they tried to escape back outside her father called out to them, warning them about any more late night adventures, a comment that she was fairly sure was directed mostly at her, but she could tell the boys had taken it the wrong way. As soon as they made it outside, Harry and Ron pressured her to go back inside and follow Snape to keep an eye on him. She had absolutely no intentions of going to find her father when he was being irritable, however she conceded to go back inside, and as soon as she was out of their sight, she strolled towards the library. She could relax and read something not school related now, and she was going to use the time to her advantage.

She pushed open the heavy doors to the library and was pleasantly surprised to find her Slytherin friends sitting at one of the larger tables, apparently engaged in an exploding snap tournament. She made her way over to them, deciding that reading could wait, since she would soon be saying goodbye to all of her friends for the summer anyways. "Hey, Draco." She said cheerfully, taking an empty seat beside her blonde friend. He offered her a smirk in return. "So this is exploding snap?" She asked, gesturing to the cards he and Pansy were holding. "Yeah, it's pretty fun, you should give it a go, you can play the winner."

The brunette nodded, she probably had time to play a round or two before she would have to report back to Harry and Ron. "So who's winning?" As she asked this, Pansy slammed her cards down on the table victoriously, "Me." Hermione joined the group in laughing as Draco scowled at his cards. "Cool, so Pansy, how exactly do you play?" The next hour and a half was dedicated to Hermione facing off against each of the Slytherins in a game, with Pansy helping her. She was surprised to win a few hands, although she attributed the wins to having Pansy helping her, which the Slytherin girl had decided to refer to it as 'girl power.'

She stayed there for another hour, watching several more skilled players face off, splitting a few sweets with Pansy and Milicent on the sidelines. "So Hermione, how exactly did you and Draco become friends? He's never said." Pansy asked from beside her, sucking away on a sugar quill. "Yeah, aren't your parent's muggles?" Millicent chipped in, making Hermione grow a little nervous. Obviously Milicent wasn't a person with very much tact. "Well...yes, I was raised by muggle parents. I met Draco in Diagon ally, actually. Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape showed up at my home to speak to my parents, and the next day I was in Diagon ally with professor Snape, because my parent's both had to work, and I needed supplies. I guess Snape got tired of me asking so many questions, and when we came across Draco, he made him tag along." She tried to keep her story as close to the truth as possible, knowing that if she made it complicated, she would get it wrong the next time she was asked.

Pansy and Milicent sighed and nodded, "Yeah, that sounds like Snape. He's Draco's godfather you know, and his uncle. He's not really his uncle," Pansy rambled, unwrapping a new sugar quill, "Like they're, not related by blood. But he's an old friend of Draco's parents, and he's that kind of uncle you know?" Hermione nodded, taking a bite out of a cauldron cake, "That's actually kinda cool. My parent's were both orphans, so I never had any uncles or aunts, or grandparents." Her eyes eventually drifted over to the clock on the wall and she gasped, shooting out of her seat. "Oh no! I was supposed to be back half an hour ago. Those two idiots will be panicking by now." The whole table chuckled, and Hermione couldn't help but join in.

"Why are you friends with the dynamic duo anyway?" Blaise was staring straight at her as he asked this, and she had to guess that Draco hadn't told them about the incident with the troll on Halloween. "They saved me from the troll that broke into the castle on Halloween. I was in the loo when they sent everyone back to the dorms. They noticed I was missing and came looking for me." She really didn't want to say much more, lest she reveal anything embarrassing. Draco chose that moment to cut in and save her from any furhter questions, "You better go before they come in here and get the wrong idea again. I don't feel like losing points for supposedly ganging up on a lone Gryffindor." The other Slytherins nodded, and offered her a wave as she dashed out of the library heading for the entrance hall.

On the way she stumbled across her father, who simply raised an eyebrow in question as to why she was wandering about on her own. "I was tired of being outside, and I went to the library and Pansy helped my win some games of exploding snap." Hermione almost giggled when she saw the smile flicker across her father's face. "Very well. I won't deduct any house points, seeing as you were with your friends and keeping out of trouble." His remained impassive, and he left swiftly. She knew he was probably just acting this way as a precaution, he had been more distant than usual since the incident with Quirrell and the forged note.

By the time she found Harry and Ron it was time for them to head back into the castle for dinner. "I followed him to the staff room and had to leave when I told him I was looking for Flitwick and he went to fetch him. I hid out in the library and tried again, but he never left his office." She fed them the lines she had thought up on the way back, and wasn't too surprised to hear they'd tried to steak out Fluffy's door and been caught. They were not exactly sneaky Slytherin material after all.

* * *

><p>End chapter nine!<p>

I got a (very lengthy) review with about half a million questions, and it raised some good points, which will all be addressed in Year Two. And a bit in Year One, nearer the end. (which is only three chapters away) I think. But it couldn't hurt to touch on the subject now. I can start by saying that Hermione loves the Grangers very much, but little girls are drawn to flashy new things, y'know? If I found out when I was eleven that Snape was my dad, hell, I'd probably have been the same way. Go from sharing everything with siblings who mostly tease you, to having a dad all to yourself? Hells yeah!

Ack, I've said too much. Oh well, just look forward to the descriptive summer in Year Two, okay? I had this flash of brilliance that may get a lil' shove of influence in the stories. Any who, the next chapter in Year One is probably fairly exciting. I like how it came out at least. (though I do so love the part in this one with Hermione and the Slytherins.)

Also! I hinted at Ronan's comeback, didn't I? Let me know what you think! Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to bring him back in Year Two yet, but I was thinking maybe before she gets petrified, or after? It's undecided so far. I need to re-read book two to remember the main sub-events. I spent so long on Year one, my mind is drawing up blanks. Thankfully Chamber of Secrets is fifty pages shorter than Sorcerer's stone.


	10. You Have To Do What You Think Is Right

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Ten: You have to do what you think is right

Disclaimer: Obviously.

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><p>Later that evening, when they were the last three awake in the common room, Harry was going over his plans. "I'll go down, with my invisibility cloak, and I'll bring the flute Hagrid made me for Christmas." Hermione and Ron exchanged an exasperated look and both rolled their eyes, "Will it fit all three of us?" "What?" "You don't think we'd let you go alone, do you?" Harry stared at them, seemingly baffled by the idea. Apparently, he'd been assuming all year that he was going to have to do something dangerously deadly all by himself while they rested selfishly in their beds. "But if we get caught, you'll both be expelled too."<p>

She actually found the nerve to laugh at this, startling the two boys. "Oh not if I can help it. Professor Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. I'm not being chucked out after that." She added in her mind that they couldn't chuck her out anyway, seeing as she was Snape's daughter and she'd been in horrible danger the moment she stepped out into the muggle world without a wand.

Harry dashed up the stairs without any further protest, and retrieved his cloak and flute, and when he came back down he was surprised to see Neville in the corner of the room. "What are you doing?" Neville stuttered, drawing Ron and Hermione's attention to his as well, clutching his toad Trevor close to his chest. "Nothing, Neville, nothing." Hermione flicked her eyes over to Harry and saw him try to tuck the cloak out of sight behind him, before looking back to Neville. The stuttery Gryffindor gave them a withering glare, "You're going out again."

Hermione was rather surprised that the forgetful, and helpless boy had not only figured them out, but was standing between them and the portrait. "No, no, no, we're not." She soothed, deciding to step in before either one of the boys could put their foot in their mouths, "Why don't you go up to bed Neville?" Unfortunately he was too riled up to listen, and he began to lecture them about how they would get in more trouble. "You don't understand Neville!" Harry groaned, time was running out faster and faster and they needed to leave now. "This is important." But Neville wouldn't budge. He steeled himself desperately, "I won't let you do it. I'll...I'll fight you!"

Ron finally lost his temper and took a step towards the pudgy boy blocking the portrait hole, "Neville, get away from that hole and don't be an idiot!" That seemed to be the final push that Neville needed, and he drew his wand, "Don't call me an idiot!" He squared himself off and stared them in the eyes, "I don't think you should be breaking anymore rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!" Ron grew exasperated and threw his arms in the air, "Yes, but not to us, Neville you don't know what you're doing!" He took another step forward and Neville finally dropped his toad, "Go on then, try it!"

Harry shot Hermione a pleading look and she sighed before whipping out her wand and shooting the pudgy boy an apologetic look, "Neville, I'm really, really, really sorry about this. _Petrificus Totalus_." They watched as his legs snapped together, and his arms snapped to his sides, before he toppled over and fell flat on his face. Hermione ran over and flipped her victim onto his back. "What'd you do?" Harry whispered, not having expected Hermione to have done anything so drastic. "It's just a full body bind Harry. Oh Neville, I'm so sorry." Harry and Ron leaned over her shoulders and gave him a slightly sympathetic look, "Sorry mate, no time to explain." "You'll understand later Neville." They stepped over him, and pulled on the invisibility cloak, which thankfully was plenty big enough to cover the three of them. And then they were gone.

They had made it all the way to the staircase that lead to the third floor, where Fluffy sat, guarding the stone, when they ran into Peeves. The nasty poltergeist was loosening the carpet on the steps so that people would trip, and Hermione rather wished she could hex him. She'd fallen on these stairs several times this year because of him. The trio tried to sneak past the poltergeist, but froze when he began looking around wildly. "Who's there? Are you a ghostie or wee student beastie?" Peeves cackled, trying to taunt them into revealing themselves, and threatening to go and fetch Filch. Just as he was about to fly off, Harry grumbled out his best impression of the bloody Baron (the ghost of Slytherin, and the only one who could control peeves,) "Peeves, the bloody baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Hermione and Ron gaped at the bespectacled boy as he sent Peeves floundering far away from the third floor. As soon as the poltergeist was gone, Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder, "Brilliant Harry." And Hermione couldn't help but to agree. If she hadn't known it was Harry's voice, she'd have sworn that they had actually stumbled across the bloody baron. They continued up the steps and were in front of Fluffy's door within seconds. It was already ajar. "Well, Snape's already gotten past Fluffy." Harry whispered, pulling a small wooden flute out of his pocket. Hermione rolled her eyes and bit her tongue to keep from commenting. "If you want to go back no, you can. I won't blame you. You can even take my cloak."

Harry was obviously stuck in tragic-hero mode, Hermione thought with a sigh as she and Ron both placed their hands on his shoulders, "Don't be stupid." Ron said with a laugh, "We're coming too." Hermione finished as Harry gently pushed open the door to Fluffy's room. They still had the cloak on as they entered the room, and they were met by all three growling heads sniffing around madly. "What's at his feet?" She whispered, spotting a dark shape on the floor by the dogs paws. "Looks like a harp." Ron whispered in response. Harry took a deep breath between them and placed the flute to his lips, and blew. The tune was awful, as she suspected Harry had never taken a music class in his life, but Fluffy's eye began to droop. Within a minute, all three heads were resting on the floor, rumbling with sleepy growls.

The three of them inched forward, and Hermione drew the cloak off of them. She watched Ron open the trap door, carefully stepping around the giant dog's paws. "Well...ladies first? Want to go first Hermione?" The red head recoiled at her following glare. "No I don't want to go first! You go first." She hissed, cursing in her mind. She couldn't believe the dummy had tried to send her in first. Ron was about to respond when Harry waved one of his hands, trying not to stop playing. "You want to go first? Okay mate. Give Hermione the flute then, so she can keep playing." Harry nodded and quickly handed the flute over to Hermione, and she placed it to her lips immediately. Fluffy twitch momentarily, but remained sleeping as Harry jumped down into the hole in the floor. He called up after a minute, telling them that it was okay to jump in, and she and Ron followed suite quickly.

Fluffy was barking by the time Hermione landed next to the boys, resting on a giant plant. "We must be under the school." She said, looking around the dank room, before turning her eyes to the boys. "Yeah. Lucky this plant thing's here, really." Ron said with a shrug. Hermione looked down and shrieked. "Lucky! Look at you!" She jumped up and scrambled as fast as she could to the far wall, where there were none of the vines that had begun to twist and twine around the two boys. She watched them struggle in vain, causing the plant to bind them faster. "Stop moving! I know what this is, it's devil's snare!" She ordered, trying desperately to remember what she had heard professor Sprout say about the nasty plant earlier in the year.

Ron made a snarky comment about how helpful she was being and she rolled her eyes. "Shut up! I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" She dug through all her memories until she found the one she needed, "Devil's snare, devil's snare...it likes the dark and the damp..." She groaned, what was the rest of the saying? "So light a fire!" Harry shouted, breaking her train of thought, "Yes! Of course, but there's no wood..." "HAVE YOU GONE MAD! ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?" Ron bellowed at her, making her flush in embarrassment. She had momentarily forgotten about her wand. "Oh, right!" She quickly sent a jet of the same blue fire she kept in a jar on her bed post at the plant and in released the boys. They were gasping by her side instantly, and Harry was praising her for having paid attention in Herbology. "Lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis. 'there's no wood,' honestly." Ron gave her a half-hearted glare and she shrugged, "Look Ron, I've only known about magic a short while. It's acceptable to believe I could forget it in a moment of panic."

Harry raised his own wand and muttered "_Lumos_." The dim room lit up just enough for them to see a hallway, "This way." They made their way down the winding tunnel, hearing no other sounds than their footsteps and the gentle dripping of water until they came upon a brilliantly lit chamber full of small birds. Hermione gasped as she took in the sight of them. Harry and Ron dashed over to the large, heavy wooden door on the other side of the chamber and tried to pull it open. It wouldn't budge. "Now what?" Ron huffed. "These birds, they can't just be here for decoration." Hermione mumbled, her eyes never leaving the jewel bright birds that were zooming around.

"They're not birds!" Harry gasped suddenly, "They're keys with wings, look closely!" Hermione and Ron both gasped as they realised he was right. "So, one of them must be for the door. but how do we get it?" She asked, looking around for a mode of transportation. Ron spotted it first. "Look! Brooms!" She didn't like where this was going. She didn't exactly do well in their flying lessons. Nevertheless, she raced over to the brooms with the boys, "We're probably looking for a big old fashioned key, maybe silver like the handle." Harry said as they mounted their brooms and took off. As they searched for the key, Hermione let her mind wander to her father. Surely he was going to disown her for this, if she survived facing Voldemort. She didn't want him to though; their relationship was strained, and painful, but she didn't think she could bear to lose him now. "Over here!" Harry called out suddenly. He had found the key.

"Okay, Ron you drop down on it, Hermione you stay below it to stop it from getting away, and I'll try to catch it." They got into position as Harry barked out the orders, "Now!" Ron dove, Hermione rocketed upwards, both being dodged by the key, and Harry shot after it at a speed Hermione hadn't thought the school brooms could reach. With a sudden nasty crunching noise, Harry had the key pinned to the wall, struggling against his hand. "I've got it! Let's go!" They touched down and abandoned their broom immediately, dashing for the old door. It took a moment, but Harry managed to get the struggling key into the lock and they ran though the door, through the next hall, and into the next room.

Light flooded the room as the stepped into it and Hermione could practically hear Ron drooling. The room had been bewitched into a giant wizards chess board. Off to the sides of the room there was rubble from, what she could only guess was, destroyed chess pieces. The three of them slowly walked forward, taking in the empty spaces. "What now?" Harry asked, "It's obvious, isn't it? We gotta play our way across." Ron said plainly, as though he thought it was as obvious as need air to breathe. Hermione swallowed hard, "How?" She could hardly keep her nervousness out of her voice. "I think, we'll have to be chessmen." Ron replied, walking up to one of the black knights, reaching out to touch the horse. Instantly the black marble sprung to life, the horse pawed at the ground and the knight looked down at the red head. "Do we - er - have to join you to get across?" He asked the giant chess piece, which nodded in response. "We need to think about this. We've got to take the place of three black pieces, I guess."

It was odd, taking orders from Ron. Hermione could see that Harry was as mystified as she was about the sudden seriousness that had swept over the red haired boy. "No offense, but neither of you is very good at chess -" He started, and Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes, "We're not offended." Harry said quickly, and she nodded encouragingly to the red head, "Just tell us what to do." They all knew that Ron was the best at wizard's chess. He was probably better than any other student in the whole school. Ron observed the pieces and gave a firm nod of his own, "Okay, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle." They complied without hesitation as the pieces made their way off the board, "What about you Ron?" Harry asked as they settled onto their squares.

"I'm going to be a knight." Hermione bit her tongue to keep from laughing at this, wondering just how long Ron had wanted to say that for, but now was not the time to laugh. Once he too was in place, white made the first move. As the game began, Ron moved the black pieces confidently, giving Harry and Hermione a few orders as well, which neither questioned. They were shocked when they lost the other black knight, and it was smashed to pieces by the white queen, and dragged off to the side. "Had to let that happen." Ron said thickly, his face just a bit pale, "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

The board thinned out quickly, as Ron darted around the board taking out a white piece for each of the black ones that were destroyed. Hermione and Harry exchanged nervous glances as Ron paused to think of the next move, each wondering just how much longer they could hold out until one of them was taken. "Yes," Ron's soft voice drew both their glances and they noticed where the white queen was facing. "It's the only way, I've got to be taken." "NO!" They shouted, they couldn't let him be taken. "That's chess!" Ron snapped back, "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me, that leaves you free to checkmate the king Harry."

The dark haired boy tried to argue, but it was futile. Hermione watched with despair as Ron made his move, and was taken down by the white queen. Her marble arm crashed down over his head and he fell to the floor with a sickening thud. It took all her restraint not to leave her square as she screamed, but Hermione managed to stay put until Harry moved three spaces to his left, and the white king threw his crown to the feet of the boy who lived. The remaining chessmen parted and opened a path to the door, which Harry and Hermione continued on through, with a last look back at Ron's unconscious form.

"What do you reckon is left?" Harry asked, after reassuring her that Ron would be alright. It wasn't very likely that the chessmen would be charmed to kill the intruder, Dumbldore wouldn't have allowed it. "Well, we had Sprout's Devil's Snare, Flitwick must have done the keys...McGonagall transfigured the chessmen...so, just Quirrell and Snape's protections left, I think." They walked until they reached the next door. After a moment of encouragement, Harry pushed the big door open and they were flooded with a familiar, nausiating smell. In the center of the room, unconscious on the floor, was a troll even larger than the one that they had face on Halloween. They both sighed in relief when they saw the big bloody lump on its head. "I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one." Harry whispered as they carefully crept across the room and through the next door.

They were relieved to see what was in the next room, it was empty but for a table with seven potions bottles, and piece of parchment. As they walked into the room, flames sprung up to block both doors. They were trapped. "Snape's. What do we have to do?" Harry asked as they went up to the table. Hermione seized the scroll on the table and opened it.

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,  
><em>_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,  
><em>_one among us seven will let you move foreward,  
><em>_another will transport the drinker back instead,  
><em>_two among our number hold only nettle wine,  
><em>_three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line,  
><em>_choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,  
><em>_to help you in your choice, we give you these clues four,  
><em>_first, however slyly the poison tries to hide  
><em>_you will always find some on nettle wine's left side;  
><em>_second, different are those who stand at either end,  
><em>_but if you would move onward, neither is your friend,  
><em>_third, as you see clearly, all are different size,  
><em>_neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;  
><em>_fourth, the second left and the second on the right  
><em>_are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione let out a great sigh as she finished reading and smiled at the clues. "Brilliant!" She hadn't crossed paths with many logic problems like this in wizarding texts. "This isn't magic, it's logic!" She could barely contain her joy as she set about solving the puzzle. She shouldn't have expected any less from her father. He was devilishly clever, and she had never been more happy to have inherited that trait. "A lot of the greatest wizards don't have any logic at all. Most would be trapped her until they died." She hummed to herself as she looked long and hard at the scroll, looking up only to align the bottles with what she knew.

Finally she clapped her hands and cheered, "I've got it!" She stepped up close to the table and motioned for Harry to do the same, "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - towards the stone." They looked down at the tiny bottle, half drained and nearly too little potion for a single serving. "There's hardly even a mouthful." He said, trying to keep level headed. Hermione nodded and twisted her fingers nervously, "Which one will get you back?" He asked, and she nodded to a fat, round bottle at the right end of the line. "You drink that." Harry ordered, not paying her glare any attention, "No listen, you go back, get Ron and send an owl to Dumbledore. We need him. I might be able to hold off Snape long enough to help."

Hermione stomped her foot and scowled, "Harry! Stop that! Look, you're not going to find Snape on the other side of that door. I'll bet you all my exam notes for the next six years, it's going to to be Quirrell." She couldn't stand to hear him say it again. There would probably never be a time when she could tell him why she believed in Snape's innocence, but she just couldn't bear to hear him insult her father again. "What?" Harry was dumbfounded. He had most definitely thought that she was going to yell at him for sending her back now, not for this. "How can you be so sure?" He asked, his voice full of hesitation.

She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes, "Harry, don't judge people by how they look. I can't tell you how I know that it's not Snape...you have to trust me on this one. Maybe one day, you can figure it out." She saw him shake his head and sighed. "Look, just go, and make sure he thinks you're surprised. He's too clever for his own good, and so is Voldemort. Good luck." She handed Harry the smallest bottle before taking up her own. "Cheers." He said grimly as they each took their potion. She stayed just long enough to watch him vanish through the black flames, before running out through the purple ones herself.

She was thankful to find Ron conscious when she made it back to the chessboard, and she hurried him to his feet. "We need to grab the brooms and go fetch Dumbledore. There was only enough potion for Harry to go on and face Quirrell." She explained the situation to him as they headed back into the room with the winged keys. They grabbed the brooms and were about to mount them when Dumbledore and Snape burst into the room. Ron gaped at the scene as Hermione was embraced roughly by the potions professor and began telling them what had happened.

"Harry took what was left of the potion to go through the black flames, he thought he might be able to hold off Quirrell on the other side." She heard a thump from behind her, and knew that Ron had most likely just fainted. "There's no time to waste. Severus, the potion." Dumbledore said quickly, as they rushed on through the rooms. Snape pulled a small bottle out of his cloak and gave it to the headmaster as they reached the door covered in black flames. Hermione waited anxiously as the head master disappeared through the flames, clutching to her father's robes. "How did you know that it was Quirrell in there?" His voice was softer than she ever remembered it being, and she turned to look up into his eyes. His expression was nearly unreadable, but she caught a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Please, dad, I am your daughter. I knew from the moment I got that forged letter." His lips curved up into the first actual smile she had seen one him, and she threw her arms around him tightly. "Harry and Ron were both sure it was going to be you in there, though. I tried all year to convince them otherwise, but they are stubborn." They both laughed at this, and suddenly Dumbledore burst back into the room with Harry in his arms, unconscious. "Professor Quirrell is dead, and the stone is safe." Hermione wasn't quite sure she'd ever seen the headmaster look so proud as he dropped his eyes to Harry's face.

Then, she saw a slight sparkle in his bright blue eyes as he stepped away from the door, vanishing the black flames. "Severus, I think that perhaps, Hermione would like to see the mirror of Erised." He motioned into the room behind him. Snape looked down at his daughter, and released her from his hold. "I think she has earned it." He agreed, knowing that she had undoubtedly been the one to solve the logic question he had written. He gave her a nudge in the direction of the door and she hesitantly walked through the previously flamming door way. She had heard about the mirror of Erised from Harry and Ron when she had returned from Christmas break, and she knew that it showed what your heart desired above all else.

Harry had seen his family, Ron had seen himself older, and top of everything. She had no idea what she was going to see. She walked down into the center of the room and swallowed hard as her reflection materialized in front of her. In the mirror, she was exactly the same, but beside her stood an older woman, with long wavy, slightly bushy brown hair just like hers, and icy blue eyes. And to her other side stood her father, a smile fixed to his face. In the mirror, her mother was angry looking, and Hermione could see the edges of a tattoo, which was mostly hidden by her sleeve. She drank in the reflection until her father came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders comfortingly. "You see your mother, don't you?" He asked, already seeming to know the answer.

"Yeah." She whispered, sad that the reflection in the mirror had changed, so it was just her and Severus, standing as they were in the room. "Come, we should go to the infirmary. You need rest, as do your friends." He guided her out of the room, back down the winding trail of trials, and made sure she was on a broom, before levitating Ron beside his own broom. The flew up the hole, through the trap door, where fluffy was sleeping as Hagrid played a flute much like the one he had given to Harry.

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><p>And there's chapter ten! I know, gasp, there's <em>two<em> more chapters! What? Hahaha yeah. There's some kinda cute Dramione bits in eleven and twelve. And I'm pleased to say I somehow managed to fit proper Dramione drama into Year Two, although...I got bored and skipped ahead to after she' petrified, so I have something to work up to. Hehe, and oh do I love what I've done with Lockhart. And you may as well. I have to go and fill in what happens between brewing polyjuice potion and easter, but it's already been altered to my style.

Also, I've currently skipped Hermione's birthday in Year Two, in favour of trying not to go overboard, but it's already nearly as long as Year One, so I may go and add it in if inspiration strikes. But seriously, how long is Year Two gonna be? It's getting crazy. Er, also, I apologize...but...there's a lack of Dobby. A serious lack of Dobby. He doesn't interact with Hermione in Chamber of Secrets, you know? Later I'll make up for it. I even have another Dramione I'm working on, heavy on the Dobby! It's got some plot holes to be filled though.

Thanks for the reviews, favourites and alerts.

And yes, I coppied Snape's logic question straight from the book for this chapter, because I think it adds a certain quality. And in Year Two, I take Binns' explanation about the Chamber of Secrets out of the book too. It feels like cheating, but I can't leave it out, and I won't bastardize it the was the movies did. Sorry.

Word to the wise (had to add this because it made laugh) don't write about potions when listening to songs that say poison. Or else you get Hermione declaring brewing a difficult poison as 'not so bad' hahaha

Sorry for rambling here. It's a product of being up too late, reading too much romantic comedy Dramione fluff bits, and all-natural sleep aids. (To help me stop dreaming about my boyfriend flickering between himself, Snape and Draco, as we try to figure out a damn bus route.) so, yeah. Don't worry, I'll make sure the insanity doesn't slip into Year Two.

I won't be updating until Monday, I'm afraid. I set this chapter up so it could be posted before I head out today, and I won't be back home to update tomorrow.


	11. Secrets Are Meant To Be Kept

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Eleven: Secrets are to be kept

Disclaimer: yep.

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><p>Hermione stayed in the infirmary that night, with her father, watching him brew some sleeping draughts, wondering what would happen now. Quirrell had figured out that she was the daughter of Severus Snape, and it was entirely possible that Voldemort now knew this as well. She wondered if, when Ron finally woke up, he would remember what had happened when Snape and Dumbldore had shown up; and if he did, would he turn on her?<p>

The silence was deafening as she suddenly recalled what had happened before they left the tower. "Oh no!" She gasped, gaining Severus' attention, "We left Neville in the common room in a full body bind! He needs to be released!" She tried to jump out of her bed, but was pinned by a stern look from her father. "He has already. Minerva found him, and he told me you three had left, I got to the third floor at the same time as Dumbledore." She relaxed back onto the bed with a sigh of relief. She was going to have to buy the poor boy something very nice by way of an apology.

Snape poured the potion he was brewing out into two goblets, before bottling the rest. "Here," he handed her one of the goblets and kept the other for himself, "drink up. It's for a -" "Dreamless sleep?" She said playfully, recognizing it as a potion they had brewed in class earlier in the year. "Yes." They drank their goblets in silence. As soon as she fell asleep, he packed up his supplies and vanished the cups with a wave of his wand. He bid farewell to madam Pomfrey and left the hospital wing, feeling dead tired himself.

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><p>Hermione left the infirmary the following morning on her own, with a few small bandages on her face, and her wrist wrapped up tight. She thought it was pretty amazing that she had not noticed her wrist had been broken when she'd landed on the Devil's Snare, but she supposed she had been worried about other things at the time. It was just lucky that the exams were already over, and she didn't need to be able to write.<p>

She strolled into the great hall, finding it mostly empty, except for a few students at the Slytherin table. Breakfast had been nearly an hour ago, so she wasn't surprised. A smile lit across her face as she recognized the two blondes at the table, and she hurried over. "Hi!" The look of shock on Draco and Pansy's faces when they caught sight of her (not to mention, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and Milicent's faces as well,) made her chuckle as she took a seat on the bench. "Did I miss all the food?" Her stomach growled loudly, and a plate of food appeared infront of her, filled to the brim with toast and fruits.

Draco was the first to regain his wits as she dug into the toast, "Are you ok?" His voice was full of concern, but the Gryffindor just laughed around her mouthful of toast. As soon as she swallowed, she smiled at his concern, "Nah, I'm ok. Harry and Ron got pretty beat up though. I just fell on my wrist. Doesn't even hurt." She waved the apple-green coloured cast in front of them, unfazed by it. "Why didn't you just have it healed?" Milicent was looking at her like she was crazy.

Hermione tried to respond, only to have Draco reach over and shove a cauldron cake in her mouth. "She broke it over Christmas. Can't heal growing bones too many times, or they grow funny." He supplied as the Slytherins laughed at her. Pansy clapped her on the back as she tried to swallow her mouthful of pastry, "I knew that, Draco." She scolded, stuffing the rest of the pastry into her mouth to stiffle her smile. "So, what happened? Uncle wouldn't tell me much this morning." As he asked, the other Slytherin's leaned in, anticipating her response.

Hermione laughed humourlessly and poked around for a pear on her plate. "I don't know everything that happened, I was separated from Harry at the end, so I don't know what happened when he faced down Quirrell, but I do know Quirrell is dead." She found what she was looking for and took a bite, savoring the flavour. "We know that part. What happened leading up to that?" He persisted, leaning in even closer. "Well, all year, Harry, Ron and I had been trying to figure out what the giant, three headed dog on the third floor was guarding." She paused to take another bite. "Eventually we figured out that it was the sorcerer's stone. And they, the dummies, thought that Snape was going to try and steal it."

Draco scoffed at this and leaned back, crossing his arms, "And you let them go on thinking that?" She frowned and shook her head. "You don't know how stubborn they are. I tried to convince them otherwise, but they wouldn't listen. I knew for a while that it was Quirrell though." She took another bite. "Anyway, yesterday, Harry had this epiphany, and when we heard Dumbledore had left, we knew that we had to act that night. We had trouble right from the start. Neville tried to block us." She let out a chuckled at their schocked expressions, "He_ is_ a Gryffindor. We're known for _bravery_, remember? Anyway, I hit him with a body bind, and we had to scare off Peeves, get past Fluffy and jump down a trap door."

"I made the boys go first of course, because that is one situation where 'ladies first' is not implied. I probably should have gone first though, because they landed on some Devil's Snare, and it had them neatly wrapped up by the time I got down there. So I shot it with some fire, and then we had to fly around on brooms and catch an enchanted key." She gave up on eating at this point, "Then, we had to play our way across this giant chess board. It was horrifying, being a chess piece in a life sized game of _wizards_ chess. And then, Ron up and sacrifices himself to the queen, it was actually kind of sweet, so that Harry could put the king in checkmate, and we had to leave him there."

"Through the next door, we got very lucky, because Quirrell had already taken out the gigantic mountain troll. And then we were stuck in a room, flames covering both exits, and only just enough potion for one to go on." She smiled at their rapt interest, it was obvious that they had not expected the adventure to have been this amazing, "So, I handed Harry to potion to go foreward, and told him he was going to find Quirrell in the next room, but he didn't believe me, and then I ran back to find a way to warn Dumbledore, but he was already there."

"Damn." Draco whistled lowly, and the Slytherins all fell back in their seats. Pansy and Milicent had both gone pale about half way through, and Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise had their mouths hanging open. "Yeah." They fell into silence until Dumbledore showed up, with a heavily bandaged Ron at his side. "Hermione!" Ron called out, making her turn around and smile, "Hey Ron!" She turned back to her Slytherin friends, still smiling, "I should go make sure he's okay you know? I don't know how much he'll want to come sit over here." She stood up and left with a wave.

Ron threw his arms around her once she got close, and Hermione blushed bright red at the contact, "We did it! Did you hear?" She returned the hug awkwardly and pulled back, "Yeah. I'm the only one who _didn't_ pass out Ron." She tugged him out of the great hall quickly, offering a short greeting to the jolly Headmaster. "Why were you at the Slytherin table?" She rolled her eyes and led him further away from the great hall. "They were curious about what had happened, so I filled them in, and had some breakfast. How about we go play some exploding snap?"

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><p>Hermione was relieved the next day when Harry woke up, and madam Pomfrey allowed Ron and her to visit. He looked a lot better than he had when she'd seen him in Dumbldore's arms, though he did have a number of bandages on him. "Harry!" She had to refrain herself from hugging him, under the strict stare of madam Pomfrey. "Oh Harry, we were sure you were going to -" She stopped mid sentence, unwilling to remember how afraid she had been for his life when they had first gotten to the infirmary, and she'd seen his injuries in proper light. "The whole school's talking about it." Ron said cheerfully, a huge grin on his face. They were all famous in the school now, just as many time as they'd heard Harry's name in the stories they heard their own. "What really happened in there?"<p>

Hermione felt her stomach sink as Harry told them that Voldemort had been living in the back of Quirrell's head, and she'd screamed out when he described the face. It was definite. Voldemort knew she was Snape's daughter. As he finished filling them in, Hermione was fighting herself mentally. What difference would it make, if Harry and Ron knew? They had hunted down Voldemort together, and placed their lives in eachother's hands. "So the stone's gone?" Ron asked, slightly dejected, "Flamel's just going to die?"

Harry nodded, "That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that - erm...'to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure'." Ron's expression quickly changed to being impressed, "I always knew he was off his rocker." She laughed softly at that. "So what's happening with you two?" Harry asked, hoping for anything interesting. Hermione smiled, "Well, I got out of the room and Ron and I were about to head out in search of Dumbledore, but he and professor Snape walked into the room with the flying keys at the same time we did. I told them what was going on, and Ron passed out." She paused momentarily, hoping Ron might mention something she knew he'd seen, but he said nothing, "So the professor's and I raced back though, and Dumbledore dispelled everything, and Snape gave him some more of the potion you drank and then he walked out the room, carrying you, and I think he knew how worried I would be if I saw you before you were bandaged, so he told me to go look in the mirror, and left me with Snape. Then we brought Ron back to the infirmary as well."

The boys gaped at her, and she blushed sheepishly as they started asking what she'd seen in the mirror. "I...I don't think you would understand." She mumbled, refusing to answer. She couldn't bring herself to tell them. "Do you think he meant for you to do it, Dumbledore?" Ron asked, changing the subject for her, in a rare act of kindness. She reverted to her bold self and flustered a response about how he could have died, only to be cut off by Harry. "I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance you know? I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were gonna try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help."

"I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like I had the right to face Voldemort if I could." Hermione nodded at this, and Ron shuddered at the name. She bit her lip and decided, she _had_ to tell the boys. She opened her mouth to speak, but madam Pomfrey burst out of her office at that moment, "You've had nearly fifteen minutes. Now out!" She said firmly, forcing Ron and Hermione out the door of the hospital wing, giving Hermione and extra stern look. Like she'd known the girl was about to blab her secret, and was reminding her not to.

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><p>When the students entered the great hall for the end of year feast, they were surrounded by green and silver decorations. The Slytherins were being roudy as they sat at their table, boasting their win over the rest of the school for the house cup. Hermione found she wasn't bothered by this at all, green was one of her favourite colours, and she was a Slytherin at heart. She caught sight of her father's smug smirk, as he taunted her head of house. She actually laughed out loud as she took her seat and ignored the odd looks being thrown her way, because she'd caught Draco's eyes and he'd given her a mocking salute.<p>

When Harry entered the hall, all the noise died down in an instant, but was replaced with people swapping their versions of the rumours floating around. Harry quickly took the seat between Ron and Hermione, trying to ignore the stares he was receiving.

Dumbledore stood from his seat, drawing the attention of all the students up to the teachers table. "Another year gone!" He said cheerfully, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth as he looked around the room, and rested his eyes on the Slytherins. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast." He let his gaze wander again, "What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were...you have the whole summer to get them nice and empty before next year starts." Some of the students laughed at this, but most remained quiet.

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve. In third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two. Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six, and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two." The Slytherins burst into cheers at this, thinking that he was done, however Hermione saw the look that the headmaster exchanged with her father, which made him go pale. "Yes, well done Slytherin. However," All noise stopped immediately. "Recent events must be taken into account." Everything was still and Hermione looked across the hall to see her Slytherin friends gaping at the headmaster.

"I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see..." You could have heard a pin drop as Dumbledore fixed his eyes on the Gryffindor table, sending them a cheery wink. "First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley." The red headed first year went purple in the face as his name was called out, "...for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, fifty points." Hermione's heart skipped a beat as the giant hourglass behind the staff table began to fill, "Second - to Miss Hermione Granger...for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, fifty points." She could feel the glares from the Slytherin table and she ducted her head down as people reached around to clap her on the back.

"Third - to Mr. Harry Potter..." silence fell again and the glares shifted off of Hermione to point at Harry. "...for pure nerve, and outstanding courage, sixty points." When the hourglass stopped filling, it was completely level with the Slytherin's, and Hermione silently prayed it would be left at that. However her prayers went unheaded, and Dumbledore spoke again. "There are all kinds of courage in the world, it takes much bravery to stand up to ones enemies, and even more to stand up to ones friends. Therefore I award Neville Longbottom ten points."

She shot an apologetic look towards Draco as she joined her housemates in cheering on Neville. "Which means, we need a little change in decoration." The banners changed from green to red, and silver to gold, and the hall exploded with laughter. Hermione couldn't help but laugh along as she saw her father shake hands with McGonagall, a forced smile on his lips. He sent a glare their way, and Hermione bit her lip to stiffle her laughter.

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><p>End chapter eleven!<p>

Better Dramione in next chapter. Also, you may have to wait a week for Year Two, it's not done, I lost two days of writing, and will lose Wednesday too, because I have to bake my mom's cake. And I figured her cake might as well be made from scratch.

I'm actually terribly for the bit I'm writing today in Year Two, because I'm only a few paragraphs from reaching the duelling club, and I have a whole new direction for it. Also, maybe some Hermione/Neville (strictly platonic friendship) dribble in it. Ooooooh I can't say too much, but trust me when I say it'll be good?

Also, sorry for any spelling error's. I read, and re-read, and re-re-read this one and chapter twelve, and fixed any of the words that jumped out at me, but I may have missed some.


	12. A Better Summer

A girl named Hermione Granger: Year One

Chapter Twelve: A better summer

Disclaimer: Of course.

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><p>Hermione laid awake in her bed, curtains drawn around her, and sighed. It was five am now, and she was waiting until six, when she would be allowed to leave the dorm and go check on her exam results. The feast had ran late into the night, and eventually she had managed to sneak off and apologize to her Slytherin friends, for their stealing the house cup. In the end, they still hadn't been very happy, but Draco had said he was glad at least <em>one<em> Slytherin had won, and he'd considered her more Slytherin than Gyrffindor for swiping the win out right from under their noses.

She closed her eyes for a while, and decided to get out of bed. Even if it wasn't six am yet. She snuck out of her bed and pulled on a pair of red and gold slippers, and her cloak. She tip toed to the door and ran down the stair case, heading straight for the portrait. She was shocked to find Draco out in the hallway, holding onto two steaming mugs. He offered her one, which she accepted, and she smiled when she smelled the coffee. "I've been out here for twenty minutes, I didn't think you'd be able to wait so long to sneak out and read your results." He drawled, taking a sip from his cup before gesturing down the hall.

Hermione laughed and shook her head, "I've been up all night. I just didn't want to be caught out of bed too early." She began walking down the hall, Draco keeping in step beside her. "Uncle told me you weren't going to be going home." He said calmly, as they approached the great hall, and Hermione paused mid step. "No. I'm not. Father sent my muggle family into hiding. I'll be staying around here I guess. My grandmother has a house in Hogsmead." She dropped her gaze down to her slipper clad feet and frowned. "I'm guessing she's my mom's mom, but I haven't really spoken to her." She remembered how angry she had been, to read the parchment, and find the name glaring up at her mockingly. Charity Burbage, strict but fair Professor of Muggle Studies, with high expectations of everyone, was the one whom had been on the parchment.

"Who is she?" Draco asked, curiousity shining in his eyes, he pulled her chin up with his wand hand, so he could see her face. "Professor Burbage. If you can believe it." The blonde boy let out a bark of laughter and nearly dropped his mug of coffee. "Snape was married to the muggle lover's daughter? No way!" His laughter infected her, and before long she was giggling with him. "It's an odd thought, isn't it? But..." She looked around and leaned in as close as she dared, "...I don't think they had a close relationship. I got the chance to look in the mirror of Erised, and I saw her, my mother, and she had a tattoo on her left arm. Like the one my dad mentioned." She pulled away quickly and waited for him to speak.

"Wow." He wasn't sure what to say. He imagined how he'd have felt, to see the tattoo on his own mothers arm, and he shuddered violently. "Maybe, it wasn't that kind of tattoo. Maybe it was something else?" He said quickly, trying to comfort her. Hermione only shrugged. "It doesn't matter, really. I never knew her, and even if she was one of them, it doesn't mean anything to me." She pushed the doors the the great hall open and stepped inside, leaving Draco standing out in the hall on his own. She spotted the envelopes set out on each of the house tables and went off in search for hers as Draco finally walked into the hall himself. It took several minutes, but she finally found the envelope with her name scrawled on it and sat down.

Draco joined her soon after, holding his own envelope, "On the count of three then?" He asked with a smirk, and she nodded. "One - two - three!" They ripped open their envelopes at the same time and pulled out the paper within. Hermione's eyes scanned the page and she grinned, "Perfect scores across the board. What about you Draco?" The blonde didn't respond at first, a sour look on his face. "That tosser only gave me eighty percent in defense against the dark arts!" Hermione giggled and quickly brought her coffee mug to her face, in an attempt to hide from his glare.

She took a sip of the liquid in her cup and spat it out quickly. "Ew, pumpkin juice!" She began wiping her tongue off on her sleeve before she realized that they were being watched from the door way. She turned and saw her father leaning against the door, with his wand in his hand, and one eyebrow raised. She laughed nervously, setting down her cup. It was still only five-thirty in the morning after all.

Severus had been following the two for a while, at just enough of a distance to hear their conversations without being seen. He'd nearly had a heart attack when the two had stopped in front of the great hall and his daughter had leaned in close to Draco's face, he hadn't heard what she'd whispered, but he'd been relieved when she'd pulled back again. He had watched as they found their envelopes, and seen their grades, and had decided to make his presence known before anything else could happen. So, as he usually did, he flicked his wand in the direction of Hermione's mug, transfiguring the coffee within into pumpkin juice.

"You're much too young for coffee." He said plainly, pushing off from the wall to take a seat by the two. Hermione frowned and crossed her arms, "Good morning to you too." She grumbled, but a smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the promise he hand made. "I got perfect scores on all my exams." She thrust the parchment across the table to show him, and was greeted by a slight chuckle. "I know."

"So what's my present?" She asked eagerly, ignoring Draco as he was sliently mocking her excitement, still sipping his own coffee. "You're too young for coffee too, Draco." She said wickedly, laughing when her father flicked his wand at the boys mug, turning it to pumpkin juice as well. "I'm going away for a week this summer, and you may come along if you wish." Snape had barely finished his offer before he was hugged from across the table by his overly excited daughter. "And _that_ is why you don't need caffine." He said mockingly as she let go and moved back to her seat.

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><p>The train ride back to London was fun, Hermione had to admit, as she stocked up on sweets from the lunch trolly and spent the hours joking around with Harry and Ron. She was ecstatic when Ron declared that they both had to come and visit, although she was unsure what her father would say. When the train ride had come to an end, and they were filling off of platform 9 34, and Harry was telling his two friends about his aunt and uncle, people around them were shouting out greetings and well wishes.

"There he is mom, look, there he is!" The small voice carried over the crowd and Ron looked over to see his little sister gushing over Harry, and frowned. His mother shushed the enthusiastic girl and greeted them warmly. "Busy year?" The trio laughed and nodded, "Very. Thanks for the fudge and sweater, Mrs. Weasley." Harry happily basked in the warm, motherly glow from Ron's mother until he spotted his aunt and uncle and knew it was time to go. "Ready are you?" Harry's uncle, Vernon Dursley, didn't give off the most friendly impression. Next to the massive, moustached man, were a tall, thin and peaky woman (Petunia Dursley,) and a boy their age who looked like a fat blueberry with arms, legs, and blonde hair (Duddly Dursley,) both of whom looked absolutely terrified.

Hermione and Ron didn't have much time to take the three in and they said their goodbyes to Harry, promising to owl all summer, "Hope you have a - _er_ - good holiday, Harry." She said doubtfully, sure she had never seen a more unpleasant family than the Dursley's in her life. Harry gave her a smirk and winked at Ron, "Oh I will. _They_ don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have alot of fun with Duddly this summer." With a last laugh, he walked over to his aunt and uncle and they vanished into the crowd, leaving Hermione standing awkwardly with Ron and his family.

"Well...er...I should go find my parents." She said quickly, dragging her trolly away, only to be stopped as the red head called out, "Don't forget, you promised to come visit!" She turned back with a grin, "I won't forget!" Then she quickly doubled back, staying out of sight as she made her way back to the platform. She had only been allowed to ride the train because her friends had to think she'd gone home to her muggle parents for the summer, and now, she had a long ride back alone to Hogsmead. She smiled to the conductor and climbed on board, coming face to face with her father. "Change in plans. I thought you might come stay with me for the start of summer, and go to Charity's in August."

Hermione couldn't help but grin as her father helped her back off the train, and off the platform. Perhaps the summer wouldn't be so dull afterall...

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><p>And that, my readers, is the end of Year One.<p>

I know this it the shortest chapter, but I'm working dilligently away on Year Two.

So, there's your lil' Dramione moment, and some fluffy father/daughter moments too. I actually really like writing the parts where Severus is all nice and fatherly, because he _is_ human, and he _does_ have a heart. And anyone reading this almost certainly knows that Snape's got a good side (and if not, why are you reading fanfiction about a serious you've never read the originals of?) and it needs to show. Of course, I'll not be making any big references towards Snape's most (romatic and brave and best) qualities, until Year Seven (which may in fact have to be called something else, because Hermione never returns for year seven at Hogwarts.)

ANYWAY... I'm working on chapter eleven for Year Two now, and I've come to realize my chapters are WAAAAAYYYYYYY longer than Rowling's are. Because I've only managed to make eleven chapters out of the Chamber of Secrets, which has eighteen chapters. And, I feel fit to tell you, there's some kind cute, fun Dramione in chapter four. Which...may inspire a one-shot, with a similar situation, in which they are older than twelve. Because I wanted so badly to make them kiss, but they're just much too young. They can't kiss when they're twelve! Maybe in Year Three, when they're thirteen. Because at least by then, they could be hitting puberty.

Just to be completely clear, the next story is going to be called "A Girl Named Hermione Granger: Year Two" and follows along with Chamber of Secrets.


End file.
